Scarlet
by archer24
Summary: Bella is the greatest thief the world's never seen; she is only recognized by her scarlet calling card. Edward is FBI, and has been able to catch every criminal he's come across. Little do they know, they are both about to meet their match. AH, OOC, AU
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT **

EPOV

It was quieter then any night in Chicago should be, almost as if it was holding its breath.

I circled the rim of my cup of coffee absentmindedly as I tried to resist letting out an exasperated sigh.

I saw one of the officers sitting in the back of the van with me stifle a yawn and attempt to glance at his watch without letting me see.

I pretended not to notice, I felt the same way. We had been outside this same building every night for weeks, the only reason we were still here was because my intuition could usually be counted upon.

Even though I hadn't been an FBI agent for as long as the others, it was no secret that I was good at my job; good enough to convince the captain that I didn't need a partner. My name had been gaining recognition with every criminal caught. I had been handed case after case, handing them back with the criminal in cuffs. But I wasn't satisfied; they wouldn't give me the one case I wanted. I had watched for years as senior FBI agents rubbed their heads in puzzlement every time a diamond, a painting, or some other large amount of money was stolen. After they'd tried everything they could to catch them, they would pass it on to another agent. I started gathering information on my own time just because I couldn't resist. It was only after I had gathered as much information available and had mapped out each of the locations that I began to see a pattern. Many in the Chicago bureau thought it was ridiculous, that the scarlet thief didn't have a pattern, but the captain decided to give me a shot.

That was eight months ago.

Every time I came close, the scarlet thief would slip through my fingers, taking priceless paintings and jewelry with them. I was going to need some kind of break in the case if I was going to keep it. Otherwise, my chance at catching the uncatchable thief would be over, and I doubt that I would get another shot.

I shook my head to clear the thoughts and took a sip of my now cold coffee and grimaced at the bitter taste.

After another hour or so, I felt like I was rubbing my eyes constantly to keep them open.

I lifted my coffee cup to my lips; almost spilling it on myself when alarms started blaring all around me. I immediately shot up, throwing my coffee somewhere, and forced the sliding door of the van open.

I was sprinting as fast as my legs could carry me towards the sixty story building in the busy nightlife of the downtown streets of Chicago.

The building belonged to the CEO of BYS Insurance, a very very rich man; and the owner of a very very expensive painting.

I could already hear the sirens coming in from the distance as I, and several police officers, rushed inside the building, past the empty security guard post; pulling out my gun in the process

They re-started the elevator, which had been shut off for the night, and we started heading our way up to the 57th floor.

It was difficult to contain my impatience.

I had set multiple police officers up on the 57th floor where the painting was.

The plan was to wait for the thief to try and steal the painting, and catch them in the act. I handpicked the men to guard it while waiting for the thief to fall into the trap.

I squeezed through the elevator doors once they crept open, much too slow for my liking. The blaring of the buildings alarms pounded louder in my ears outside of the sanctuary of the elevator.

I ran down the hall and bursted into the corner office.

I stopped in my tracks.

The feeling of achievement that I had felt since the alarms first started ringing was instantly gone.

There, handcuffed to the desk and to each other, were the police officer I had previously set up. They had tape over their mouths.

My eyes widened in astonishment and horror.

I quickly spun around, my eyes shifting to the spot where the painting should have been.

Instead, in its place, was an empty frame, cracked open and hanging off its hinges, with a piece of scarlet silk hanging from the frame.

The scarlet thief's calling card.

I strode over to the tied up men in rage and disappointment. I ripped the tape off of one of their mouths; he winced.

"What the hell happened!?!" I yelled.

He was breathing heavily when he answered, "He came out of nowhere. 'Wasn't even in here for a minute." He sounded frustrated and ashamed.

"How long ago did he leave!?!" I shouted.

"'bout ten seconds before you came in." He told me, nodding towards the door.

I bolted out the door, yelling to the rest of the police to untie them then get down to the bottom floor and cover all the exits. I was not about to let them get away.

The police were covering the lobby; there was no way the thief could get through; maybe hope wasn't lost after all.

My finger was an inch from the down button for the elevator when I heard it.

A door slamming shut.

My gaze snapped to my left, my eyes catching the door that read 'Stairs, Up'.

My eyes widened, I abandoned the elevator and wrenched open the stairwell door and started sprinting up the stairs.

I rounded a corner on the stairs and just caught sight of a boot heel slipping out the roof's door.

'_Where could they possibly be going?'_

Holding my gun firmly in one hand, I chased after the thief.

I bursted onto the roof, letting the door slam against the outer wall.

There, casually standing in the middle of the roof, was the thief.

He was wearing a hood casting a shadow over his face, disguising himself.

"Freeze!" I yelled over the wind, pointing my gun at him with both hands.

My words seemed to have no effect on him, for he just started walking towards the opposite end of the roof.

"I said freeze!" I yelled louder.

He just kept walking further.

He raised something from his hand and slung it over his back. It was a tube-shaped container.

My eyes widened_._

'_The painting'_

"Stop! There's nowhere for you to go!" I yelled again, inching closer, my gun still firmly pointed at them.

Again, they didn't even seem to hear me, just edged back further until they were standing about a half of a foot away from the ledge.

"Sir! Stop and hand over the painting!" I inched closer, keeping my eyes on them. There was no way he was getting away.

What I said seemed to finally get their attention.

He picked up his head and looked in my direction as if noticing me for the first time. I watched as his gloved hand came up and pushed the hood back off his face.

I felt my jaw drop as I saw tendrils of silky brown locks tumble out.

'_Holy shit'_

The scarlet thief was no man.

My gun lowered of its own accord, I still couldn't see the exact features of her face because of the darkness, but that didn't stop me from noticing that she was attractive.

She unzipped the trench coat she was wearing, revealing a pair of black tight-fitting pants and a black wife-beater.

Over that, she was wearing what looked like a harness with many straps and carabineers.

With the painting still strung across her back, she bent down and retrieved a carabineer with rope, which she promptly hooked to herself with precision.

The wind was whipping her hair across her face, as I saw her glance up at me again; the only feature of her that I could make out was the small amount of light that reflected off her teeth as she grinned.

Everything came rushing back to me.

"Stop!" My voice, and mind, seemed to finally start functioning; I started sprinting across the rooftop towards her.

When I was only about fifteen feet away; she gave me a crooked grin, saluted me with two fingers, and stepped backwards over the side of the building.

"Shit!" I yelled, narrowly stopping myself from tumbling over the edge as my hands grabbed where she had been just a moment before.

My eyes searched the dark night below me, seeing nothing but the rope she was using to jump as it kept turning through the pulley she had set up on the roof. There was no way I could stop it.

"Damn it!" I cursed, but the wind muffled it.

I whipped open my cell phone to call and see if any of the police had been able to grab her when she reached the street, but then remembered that I had set everyone up in the lobby to stop the thief when they went down.

The rope stopped running through the pulley.

The scarlet thief was gone.

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**A/N: Hey, so here is the start of another story. Those of you who have read Guardian Agent, my other story, are probably starting to notice a theme to my stories. However, if you liked my other story, then this one is going to be just as action packed and exciting. Feel free to ask questions, I'll answer them as long as they don't give too much away. Hopefully this one will be just as, if not more, successful then Guardian Agent because I've got tons of ideas and I'm really excited about writing this one. :P**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT **

BPOV (the same night)

My eyes were closed as my body sailed down the side of the building. My velocity was increasing as gravity pulled me further down. I opened my eyes and saw my reflection off the windows of the building.

I took a deep breath just as the automatic breaking system that I built into the harness started working. I felt the familiar pull on my waist as it slowed my speed down.

With a practiced hand I reached up and grabbed onto the rope, using it to pull my upper body upwards so that my feet touched the ground just as the rope stopped running.

I quickly unhooked the carabineer from the rope without making a sound; and after repositioning the container holding the painting on my back, I started running.

I glanced over my shoulder, noticing all the police officers standing inside the building's lobby, oblivious to the crime that was just committed.

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EPOV (the next morning)

I ran my hand over my face in exhaustion as I headed into the FBI building. I was in so much trouble.

I sat down at the desk in my office and put my head in my hands. I was letting out a long breath when I heard a knock on my door.

I picked my head up and saw Jasper poke his head into my office.

"Long night?" He asked.

I just gave him a look.

"Alright, alright." He said, motioning with his hands for me to calm down, "The captain wants to see you in his office ASAP."

I groaned but nodded my head. He knew me well enough to just leave me be at the moment.

After a few more deep breaths I forced myself to pick my head up and drag my feet out of my office and down the hall to the captain's office.

I paused for a moment to prepare before I knocked three times on the door.

I heard a gruff 'come in' before I turned the handle and entered.

Aro looked up when I walked in and put down the papers he was holding and motioned for me to sit down in the chair opposite him.

I took the seat tentatively.

"So, Edward." He started linking his fingers together, "Let me see if I got this correctly."

I nodded at him to continue.

"You set up a trap for the scarlet thief in a location where you assumed they would strike next. Your assumption was correct, and they managed to get inside the building. And then, when you got inside to arrest them, where you had fifteen police officers positioned, the painting was already stolen. And then, you chased him up to the roof, where he managed to get away by jumping off the roof…with the million dollar painting. Does that sound about right?"

I swallowed hard

"Well sir, there's actually a few things you should know..." I started.

He motioned with his hands for me to continue talking.

"The scarlet thief…is actually female."

He just looked at me.

I was about to continue, but he held up a hand to stop me, I shut my mouth instantly.

"So let me get this straight. We've been after this thief for three years, and we're just finding out now that he is actually a she!" He rubbed his temples with his fingertips.

I waited for him to start talking again before I said anything.

"Are you able to ID her?" He asked, looking at me once again.

"No, I didn't see her face. It was too dark." I told him, disappointed at myself.

He didn't seem too happy with my answer.

"And _she_ got away with the painting?" He asked, getting even unhappier with every moment that I seemed to sit in front of him.

"Well, actually that was the other thing I wanted to tell you. The painting that she stole was a fake. We had the owner hide away the real one, and we got our hands on another one to use for the bait." I told him.

Some of the worry lines on his face seemed to go away.

"Well, that's probably the best news I've heard all day." He said, leaning back in his chair.

I breathed out a small sigh of relief.

"Many people have doubts that you can catch the scarlet thief, and think I've made a mistake putting you on as lead investigator. Don't let me regret giving you this chance." He said before going back to his paperwork, showing me that I was dismissed.

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BPOV

I rolled out of bed and walked downstairs, throwing a robe around myself in the process.

I grabbed the newspaper and sat down on the couch. I started flipping through it, but I didn't see any headlines that read somewhere along the lines of 'Scarlet Thief Strikes Again!' or 'Another Painting Stolen!'. Disappointed, I refolded it and went upstairs to change.

A few hours later I was trying not to check my watch every few minutes as I waited for her to show up. It was when I was drumming my fingertips on the marble countertops in my kitchen that there was a knock on the door.

"Finally!" I said, throwing my arms up in exaggerated exaggeration.

I went over to the door and swung it open.

"I know, I know I'm late." She said as she brushed past me and into the house.

I closed the door behind her and followed her back into the house.

"Can we do this?" I asked, gesturing with my hand down the hallway.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed; it's bad enough that you woke me up early." She grumbled.

"You know, it could be a lot worse. You could go back to the museum, working for minimum wage." I told her over my shoulder as we went down the basement stairs.

"And miss out on all the fun and money you bring me? No way." She said, laughing a little bit.

I punched in the code for the security pad on the basement door and opened it.

"The people you were working for had no idea what to do with your expertise." I told her, chuckling a little.

"Yeah, well. Let's just get this over with." She said, pulling on a rubber glove.

I walked over to one of the doors and unlocked the manual locks before opening it and stepping through.

Alice walked in behind me; she was trying to suppress her excitement, but I could see it in her eyes.

On the table which was lit up from the bottom with luminescent lights, was the million dollar painting that I had stolen last night.

I leaned against the wall with my arms crossed as I watched Alice approach the piece of artwork with a critical eye.

"You just need me to verify it, correct?" She asked.

I nodded at her, and she resumed her observing.

Alice was the person I called in whenever I needed to have a piece of artwork verified, or even an expensive gem. I would then pay her ten percent of whatever amount I sold it for on the black market. She also knows that that amount of money also pays for her silence. I chose to hire her because she is the only one who I deemed smart enough, both to have the right credentials for the job and not be stupid enough to go to the police. She knows that if she did, I would be able to make it seem as if the only guilty person is her.

"So, how did it go last night?" She asked, trying to break the silence.

"Same as usual." I replied nonchalantly.

She nodded but gave no other opinion.

"Actually, now that I think about it; I think the FBI has a new person taking the lead." I told her.

"Well, that's no surprise. The last one was an idiot." She said inspecting the painting with a confused look.

I chuckled in agreement.

"But apparently…this one isn't…" She said looking at me.

I met her gaze quickly.

"It's a forgery." She said.

"Excuse me?" I asked, leaning in a little bit.

"This painting is a fake. It's not the original." She said

I grabbed the magnifying glass from her hand and stepped close to the painting.

"See right there." She said, pointing with her finger to a specific spot, "The crack is painted over. That wouldn't have be present in the original." She said.

"Dammit!" I yelled, angry at myself. "No wonder there wasn't an article in the newspaper."

"So, the FBI already knew that you were planning on swiping this one. This new guy has definitely got me impressed." She said.

I sent a glare in her direction.

"What?" She said, raising her arms defensively, "Anybody who can ruffle your feathers must be pretty good."

I leaned back against the wall and ran a hand down my face, trying to think.

"Well, I guess there's only one thing left for me to do." I said, making up my mind.

"What's that?" She asked, lifting her head back up from the painting.

"Go find and steal the real one." I said, no tremor of doubt in my voice as I tossed the magnifying glass back to her and started heading out of the room.

"How are you going to do that?" She yelled after me, her interest obviously piqued.

"I'm not only a thief you know; I'm also a pretty decent grifter." I told her over my shoulder.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(Later that night, still BPOV)

My heels clicked on the sidewalk as I made my way towards the front of the line.

The bouncer took one look at me before raising the velvet rope and letting me through, much to the irritation of the people waiting in line.

I sent a smile in his direction as I entered the club.

I knew that I was attracting a lot of attention from the opposite gender as I strode my way through the crowd of people in a blue skin tight Chanel dress, with a very low cut back, and a large blue diamond hanging around my neck.

I only dressed like this when I was on a mission and it was absolutely necessary, otherwise I was most comfortable in a sweatshirt and jeans.

I saw my target at the bar, drinking what I assumed was a vodka tonic. I took a deep breath to get the right character in mind and started making my way over there.

I leaned over the bar in the spot next of him, immediately gaining the bartenders attention.

"Cosmo, please." I told him, he nodded and started working on my drink.

Step one in working a good con: let the mark (the person you're conning) approach you first.

"I would be careful, they make those strong here."

I almost smiled.

I turned my head to my left over my shoulder and looked at him.

"I'm Henry, Henry Jackson." He said, holding out his hand.

I already knew exactly who he was. This man was the CEO of BYS Insurance, the owner of the painting that I was planning on stealing tonight.

"Anna, Anna Marino." I said, placing my hand in his.

He smiled, I gave him a small one back.

"Here you are." I turned and accepted my drink from the bartender.

I took a sip from it, but kept my eyes on my Mark. It was important to keep eye contact.

He lifted his own up in a toast before taking a sip.

I put mine down and smiled again.

"So what do you do for a living, Ms. Marino?" He asked, putting his drink down on the bar once again.

"I work at the Art Institute of Chicago. I work in the restoration room mostly. What about you?" I asked as if I didn't have a clue in the world and that this was the most fascinating information I had ever heard.

"I work in insurance." He made the motion with his hand as if it was no big deal "But I'm also a vast collector of artwork." He said.

'_No kidding'_ I thought, but instead said, "Really? That's incredible, anything I may know?"

"Maybe." He said with a coy smile, obviously happy to think that he had me hooked. "Let me buy you another drink and we can discuss this some more."

I nodded my head enthusiastically, but inside I was trying not to gag.

He ordered another drink for himself, then gestured at me; I ordered the same drink as him but with twice the alcohol. He smiled at my action. I wanted to roll my eyes; he obviously thought he was getting lucky tonight.

Step two in working a good con: Alcohol can come in handy.

After a few minutes of pointless chatter, I "accidentally" dropped my purse on the floor, he of course being the *cough* perfect gentleman *cough* bent down to retrieve it.

At the same moment I switched our drinks, giving him the one with twice the alcohol.

An hour passed, I kept switching his drink with mine every time the bartender gave us new ones and Henry wasn't looking.

He was getting flat out drunk and didn't even know it. While I just pretended to be.

Over the years I've picked up a few things. Like how to drink without getting drunk, you have to start with a lot of ice to dilute the alcohol, order new drinks before finishing the old, and spill…often.

My seemingly drunken state seemed to be passing off as an explanation for my clumsiness.

I must have been quite a sight to see. Playing the drunk chic whose I.Q. was not the highest was not one of my favorites, but sometimes it could be fun, especially when it worked.

"Why don't you come back to my place and I can fix us up some drinks there." He said with a slight slur, placing his slightly sweaty hand on my exposed leg. "Maybe I'll even let you see my art collection."

I sent him a coy smile before getting off the bar stool and just to play my part, I added a little bit of a swagger to my step as I led him out of the club.

On the outside I looked like a girl who had obviously had one too many and was one shot of vodka away from passing out. But on the inside, I was alert and focused on the task at hand; and right now, that was getting this man to lead me back to his home so that I could steal a million dollar piece of artwork.

I threw my hand up to hail a cab once we were outside; I felt him lean into me and throw his arm around my waist.

It took all of my willpower not to grimace and shove him off me.

Soon however we were in the cab and on our way.

Twenty minutes later I breathed a sigh of relief when the cab pulled over and jumped out, his hands were starting to wander and I had no intention of giving him what he wanted.

I wasn't surprised at the size of his house-scratch that-mansion that he called home.

He threw a heavy arm around my shoulder and started leading me up to the front door.

It took him a few tries to get the key in the door, but eventually he swung it open and I helped him stumble inside.

The inside was as immaculate as it was large. I spotted a bar in the corner, obviously where he entertained his guests. Perfect.

I turned to him, "Why don't you go and freshen up, while I make us some drinks, then we can have a look at some of your artwork." I told him, playing with his tie flirtatiously.

"Sure, and then I think I can find something fun for us to do." He slurred with a wink.

I tried not to shudder as I sent him a smile that could mean so many things from a male perspective.

As soon as he left the room, I went behind the bar and started mixing my special drink concoction.

It contained mainly vodka, but as soon as I had both of them ready, I grabbed my purse off the counter and pulled out a small vial that I had.

I flipped open the lid and poured it into the drink on the left.

I quickly slipped the empty vial back in my purse when he came back into the room.

I strode over to him and placed the drink in his hand, making sure that it was the correct one.

I sent him another smile over the drink as we toasted each other before taking a sip, though his was more of a swig.

He sent me a look that said he liked the taste of the drink and he started leading me in the other direction.

I started counting down in my head, there was still about a minute left.

He started leading me down the hallway, sending a drunken smile over his shoulder every few moments.

"You're very lucky I'm showing you this." He slurred as he started punching in a number into the security panel next to one of the doors.

"Well I'll just have to repay you somehow." I told him with a wink, gagging on the inside.

He smiled; obviously getting the innuendo I had intended and opened the door.

_18…17…16…_

He placed his hand on the small of my back and guided me inside.

He flipped on the lights, illuminating a room with paintings all along the walls.

I smiled as I took it all in.

This was too easy.

I turned around to face him.

_10…9…8…_his eyes were starting to droop.

I lifted my drink again and pretended to keep a sip while still keeping my eyes on him.

_5…4…3…_he dropped to the ground.

_Oh well, I was close._

The Ketamine I had spiked his drink with had obviously taken affect. He was out cold, with enough alcohol in his system to keep him knocked out until morning. The Ketamine wouldn't cause any permanent damage with the amount that I gave him, but he would have no memory of any part of tonight, which was exactly what I needed.

I put my drink down and looked over at him, deciding that I would deal with him later; I wanted to look around first.

I looked over the other paintings first, just to see if any of them were worth taking, but none of them even came close. Besides I was here mainly to prove a point to the new FBI agent on my case.

I turned to look at the painting I wanted and set to work.

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EPOV (the next morning)

It was finally Friday, almost the start of the weekend.

I was in a pretty good mood when I walked into the bureau. I had a feeling it was going to be a good day.

That feeling only last for about ten minutes, it all seemed to start sliding downhill when Jasper informed me that Henry Jackson had called about some kind of emergency.

I regrettably picked up the phone to take his call, his frantic voice instantly filling my ear.

I couldn't understand a word he was saying, it was mainly a jumble of swear words.

"Relax Henry, I'll be there in a sec." I told him before hanging up the phone and grabbing my jacket off the back of my chair.

In no time I was pulling up to the multi-million dollar home and walking up to the front door.

I was about to knock when the door was swung open by a very disgruntled Henry.

He was a mess. His eyes were bloodshot and he could hardly stand straight.

"What happened?" I asked, he started to open his mouth to answer when I smelled the alcohol, "Are you drunk?" I asked.

"Not anymore." He mumbled before ushering me inside.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" I asked impatiently.

He didn't answer; instead he just started walking down the hallway, and led me into another room where the door was ajar.

"What?" I asked, not understanding what he was getting at and really wanting him to just tell me so I could get back to the bureau.

He just pointed.

I followed the direction of his finger to the opposite wall.

There was an empty frame.

I blanched.

"That's not…" I started, but he nodded his head and put his head in his hand, confirming my worst fears.

"But that's impossible! No one but you knew where it was! Was there a break in?" I asked, still stunned.

He picked up his head to look at me, "I can't remember."

"This cannot be happening" I said, talking to myself.

"It's worse, they left a note…and I think it's for you." He said, pointing once again in the direction of the frame.

I tentatively strode over to the frame.

There, stuck to the wall in the middle of the frame, was a post-it note.

It only had two words:

'_Nice try.'_

Written in scarlet ink.

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**A/N: Hey, so just in case you guys don't know; a grifter is a con artist, and a mark is the person they are conning. I'll probably be using those two words a lot in this story so I thought I'd make sure you all knew what they meant. Oh, try not to yell at me for grammar mistakes if you spot any; I really do try to make sure that it's all correct, but occasionally one slips through; besides, I really don't care if you think I have bad grammar because people seem to like reading this story even if there is a comma out of place. Anyways, let me know what you think about this chapter. The next one is going to have action in it, it should be pretty good. Oh and before you ask, 'Yes, I do watch Burn Notice'; a lot of people have been asking. Other than that, I think the only other thing I want to say is: please review! :P**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT (and there is a little bit of Burn Notice)**

Alright, so just so there is no confusion, here is some vocab that I'll end up using throughout the story that some people don't know.

Con Artist: A person who intentionally misleads another person, usually for personal financial gain.

Grifter: Someone who swindles you through deception or fraud; and a grifter is a strategic gambler. Such strategy is used that it is almost not considered gambling at all. (Basically it's a con artist who tricks people into handing over their valuables through acting.)

A Mark: A mark is the person that the grifter is scamming. (A few of you thought this was someone's name, it's not. You'll see her refer to people as "marks" often in this story.

Leo: Stands for Law Enforcement Officer. Basically it's a standard police officer.

**BPOV **

The smell of freshly ground coffee beans overwhelmed me as I stepped inside the coffee shop.

I looked around, taking in my surroundings, something that had become a subconscious habit.

Satisfied that there were no immediate threats in the coffee shop, I proceeded to the counter.

It looked like your average coffee shop, mostly made up of regulars who came to sip coffee while they typed ferociously on their laptops, working on a hopeful bestseller.

Most would find these people ridiculous, spending money every day on coffee and typing in here when they could easily do the same thing at home for cheaper; but I'm not most people. I understood why they did it though, it wasn't about the coffee, it was about the people.

Coffee shops and cafés are the easiest place to people watch and nobody gives you a second look.

I scanned my eyes over each of their faces, landing on one girl.

She must have been in her early twenties, probably attending the university nearby, trying to write a paper of some sort.

Next, my eyes landed on a man in his mid-forties, and after glancing at his laptop, I concluded that he seemed to be dealing with writers block.

If only he knew that one of the world's most notorious criminals was three feet away buying coffee. It would be a best seller for sure.

I stepped up to the counter with a new smile on my face.

"What can I get you?" The guy behind the counter asked with an over-friendly smile.

"Medium caramel macchiato, please." I told him.

He nodded while punching in the numbers to the cash register. "Are you new around here? I haven't seen you before." He said while starting on my drink.

"No, I'm not new." I said. Short and discreet was pretty much my way of life. He was right though, grifters and con artists never stay in one place too long, otherwise people start to recognize you and then all hell breaks loose. Which was too bad, this coffee shop had character.

"So, do you live around here?" He asked, his attempt at subtlety failing horribly.

"How much did you say my coffee was?" I asked, trying to stop any hope he might have in its tracks.

"$3.25" He said, obviously a little stung.

I dropped the correct amount of money onto the counter and sat down at one of the tables while I waited for my coffee to finish being made.

I automatically sat with my back to the wall so that my view was kept to the front. I hated surprises.

I sat further back in the chair and looked around.

Through perception, I was able to notice many things that normal people didn't.

For instance, the girl sitting in the corner was allergic to her new cat, by the amount of scratches on her hands and the tissues she had stuffed in her pocket as she read her book.

I shifted my gaze to the man reading a newspaper a few tables away, recently divorced by the imprinted mark on his ring finger where a ring used to be.

The door of the coffee shop opened and my eyes automatically snapped to it.

A man in his late twenties walked in with bronze colored hair and striking green eyes.

He was wearing a brown coat over a nice suit. I watched him critically as his eyes scanned the room in a similar way that mine had.

'_Wait a second….'_

As soon as he started walking I knew he was a cop.

Most people would think I was crazy for assuming so quickly, but believe me when you live your life like I do; you begin to recognize certain aspects that all government agents hold.

His stride was even and calculated, showing that he was definitely coordinated. His left hand would swing as he walked and brush the side of his coat around the waist level. Most likely a habit he had created for himself to make sure that his weapon was constantly on him.

Oh yeah, this guy was definitely a cop.

'_Well, this should be interesting.'_

I watched in mild curiosity as he walked up to the counter.

The guy working behind the counter's eyes lit up when he saw him, "Hey Ed, do you want your usual?"

'_Obviously he's a regular.'_

I continued to watch him, but shrunk further back into the corner so that I wouldn't be noticed.

He just ordered a regular coffee so he got it quickly. The worker behind the counter put my finished drink on the counter and I got up.

As I was walking over to the counter to get it, the cop turned around with his own unexpectantly.

Good reflexes are the only thing that kept hot coffee from covering me as I sidestepped just in time to avoid contact with him.

"Oh, sorry about that." He chuckled, sending me a warm smile looking into my eyes.

My heart thudded deeply in my chest.

I didn't like being this close to someone who could arrest me if he had probable cause.

I looked into his emerald eyes a moment longer than necessary before mumbling something unintelligent, swiping my own coffee off the counter and slipping away.

He wasn't just a cop; I had noticed the badge on his belt. He was an FBI agent.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**EPOV**

I watched confused as she practically ran out of the coffee shop, her brown hair flowing behind her.

"Hey Mike, do you know who that was?" I asked the employee behind the counter while still looking out the door.

"Nope, but I sure would like to." He said, looking at me.

"So, she's not a regular?" I asked. Most of the people who came here were regulars; it was rare for people to come here randomly, opting for a starbucks across the street instead.

"Nope, and she made sure to stress the point." He said, by the tone in his voice I had a feeling that wasn't all she stressed towards him.

I chuckled a little to myself; any girl who could rattle Mike and resist his "charm" was alright with me.

"Think she'll come back?" I asked with an amused smile.

"Hopefully, I didn't even get to give her my number." He told me.

"Well, I guess we'll both just have to wait and see." I told him over my shoulder as I left the shop.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**BPOV **(later that day)

I stood on the sidewalk and stared up at the skyscrapers above me, my breath swirling into the chilly air.

It was now or never.

I flipped open my cell phone and dialed the number.

It picked up right away.

"911, what's your emergency?" The operator said.

I took a deep breath before starting, "Hi- yes. I'm at 1344 Columbus Drive, a-and I think there's a b-bomb." I said, adding a stutter to make it convincing.

"Okay, stay calm. The police are on their way." The operator replied in the regulated calm voice.

"Please hurry!" I said snapping my phone shut.

With my plan set in motion, I tossed the phone into the garbage can next to me and started walking towards my actual destination 1345 Columbus Drive; the building next door.

The easiest way to clear a building: alert the police of a false bomb in the building next door. Once they and the bomb squad arrive, the first thing they do is clear the area within a five-hundred meter radius of people.

I pushed open the glass door and strode inside the building.

I flashed my fake ID badge that I had replicated after swiping one of the employee's the day before.

I walked into the stairwell without any obstruction, all the while keeping a cool expression on my face.

I walked into the hallway of the second floor, and after making sure that it was clear, I slipped into one of the supply closets off the hallway.

My timing could not have been more perfect, as soon as I closed the door the building alarms began going off.

I could hear sirens going off outside. By now I'm sure the police were closing off the area and were evacuating buildings within the measured radius.

Now it was time to wait.

I kept absolutely silent as I heard dozens of pairs of footsteps rush past my door, no doubt employees heading for the stairwell.

After a few minutes, I stopped hearing footsteps outside.

I pulled out the extra cell phone that I packed and checked it.

I smiled when it came up with a blank screen.

The bomb squad had arrived.

Which meant it was time for me to get moving.

I put my ear to the door to make sure that there was in fact no one outside, before opening it and slipping out.

Bomb squads were trained with specific guidelines when dealing with a bomb threat.

First, they had to make sure that everyone was safe and clear of the supposed blast area. And by the looks of it, they did a good job.

Second, they had to stop anyone from executing the bomb remotely.

For this, they usually bring in a wireless jammer. When turned on, it blocks any wireless frequencies for about three hundred yards. Not only does this stop a person from using a wireless device to detonate the bomb, it blocks **anything** wireless, including cell phones, wireless internet…and wireless security cameras.

I strolled down the deserted hallway and got into the elevator.

I looked at the security camera inside, the little light on it that usually would have lit up red, was now a dead black.

I pressed the button for the forty-sixth floor and was soon on my way.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**EPOV**

I was sitting in the lounge area at the office when a few agents I recognized started running by.

This piqued my interest.

I got up and grabbed one of them as they were running by.

"What's happening?" I asked.

"There's a bomb threat at 1344 Columbus Drive, the local leos decided to call us in just in case it turns out to be a hostage situation.

I nodded and let him go.

'_Wait a second…'_

"What did you say that address was?" I called after him.

He turned around and started jogging backwards. "1344 Columbus Drive." He called back before turning back around and running out of sight.

'_It can't be…'_

I ran down the hallway and burst into my office.

I opened my drawers and started searching for it, rushing in my attempt to access my notes faster.

When I finally found what I was looking for: My list of possible locations that the Scarlet Thief might strike, I started scanning it with my eyes as quick as I could.

I skipped over it in my haste and had to double back with my eyes.

Interestingly, one of my locations was 1345 Columbus drive, the building next door to the bomb threat.

I set the paper down.

'_What are the chances of a bomb threat in the building exactly next door to a location where the Scarlet Thief was likely to strike?'_

I started sprinting out of my office when I realized that the chances were close to none.

I had sprinted to my car and floored it a majority of the way. And before long I was parking my car and lifting the police caution tape over my head.

Multiple police officers approached me immediately, gesturing with both their words and their hands that I was not to be in this area.

I quickly flashed them by badge, but they were still reluctant to let me go further.

"Listen, I need to talk to the other FBI agents, I have critical information they need to hear.

They still didn't seem to like it, but they led me to the area that the FBI had set up.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**BPOV**

I had just broken the code on the vaults dial when I cracked the door open.

Then, with a practiced hand that was covered in an elbow length polyester glove, I reached inside and sprayed hairspray over the exact spot where I knew the heat-sensor was.

The polyester was one of the materials that could mask heat that your body gives off. The hairspray that I sprayed over the infrared sensor worked as a shield to block any heat waves from reaching the sensor. Which meant I was in the clear.

I opened the vault door the remainder of the way and stepped inside.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**EPOV**

"You need to stop what you're doing, we have a problem." I said as I approached the other federal agents

"Damn right we have a problem, but there is no way we're going to just get up and leave." Said one of the agents I recognized as Agent Ryans.

"No, you don't understand-" I started but was cut off.

"No, you don't understand! We have a serious bomb threat here and you need to leave the premises." He said, pointing back the way I came.

"There is no bomb!" I yelled angrily, pushing my way back towards him.

My outburst caught the attention of another agent who stepped in, "What do you mean there's no bomb?"

"I mean, this is all fake! There is no bomb! But there is a serious crime going on. See that building right there?" I said, pointing to the skyscraper next door, "Inside that building is vault that holds the largest blue diamond in the city."

I had the attention of the rest of the agents now.

"I have been tracking the Scarlet Thief long enough to know how she works. Think about it; the entire building is clear and empty, no security anywhere, it's the perfect plan to be able to get inside without being noticed." I told them, piecing it all together in my head as I went along.

"I don't know Edward; that seems a little farfetched." One of them said, but I didn't hear them, I was on a roll.

"And then, when the bomb squad arrives, they block all wireless signals…all the security cameras." I continued, though I was mainly talking to myself. The plan was brilliant. While everyone is focused on the building in front of them, the one next door is getting robbed. It was so perfect I almost wanted to laugh at the insanity.

"We need to turn off the cell phone jammer." I told them, no doubt in my mind that it was the Scarlet Thief.

"There is no way in hell that I'm going to do that based on some insane theory of yours." I threw my arms up in frustration, "We have a real threat here."

She was going to get away again.

I was running a hand over my face in frustration when inspiration struck.

"Can we access the security system for the building next door from here?" I asked them quickly.

I seemed to catch the one in front of the computer off guard, "We would need to get the head of security for the building over here to access it, but I don't see why not."

"Okay, let's do that. Quickly. I can prove that there is a robbery occurring here." I told him, sending one of the police officers off in search of the man in charge of building security.

"What are you getting at Edward?" One of them asked.

"That system keeps track of every security device in that building. Most of which are wireless, but not all. I guarantee that there is going to be some sort of movement in that building, even though everyone is supposedly out." I said, taking control of the situation.

A few long minutes later, the same police officer returned with a man in tow who I assumed was the building security manager.

He was a middle-aged man with a strong build, and I had no doubt he took his job seriously.

"Can you please access the buildings security main frame? We need to see what's happening." I told him, gesturing to the computer.

"I can only access the building next door, not the one with the bomb threat, but sure." He said, obviously confused. He looked between me and Agent Ryans, who relented and let him have access to the computer.

I stood behind his shoulder as he accessed the main frame, the clock was ticking.

After far too many seconds, he had the page up and running.

"May I?" I asked, gesturing to the seat, which he promptly got out of.

I started sifting through all the information.

'_Come on, come on. There has to be something!'_

"There!" I shouted, pointing to the screen.

"What?" Agent Ryans asked, looking over my shoulder.

"Elevator number two is moving down from the forty-sixth floor at a rapid pace. And…it's headed for the first floor." I told him, I pulled out my notes which I brought along, "See, on the forty-sixth floor is where the vault is located." I told him, pointing to my notes.

I noticed him swallow hard.

"We can only see what's happening from this site, and unless you turn off the wireless jammer we can't actually do anything. And until you say that there is no bomb, the police aren't going to go anywhere near the building to apprehend her when she comes down, and we don't have time to track down all the exits that she could take." I told him, watching as the elevator dropped further and further in the diagram on the screen that modeled the actual one.

I could tell that he was fighting with his decision. If there was an actual bomb threat, then turning off the wireless jammer could allow someone to detonate the bomb. But if there wasn't one…then a thief was going to get away.

His gaze was snapping back and forth between the computer screen and the building in front of us.

A man in a bomb squad suit approached us and said, "We've swept the building and it's come up clean, we haven't found any explosive of any kind."

"Good enough for me." Said Agent Ryans, he turned to one of his partners. "Shut off the wireless jammer! And you" He continued, turning to the building security manager who was still standing there, "Stop that elevator now!"

There was a flurry of movement, I watched as the security manager of the building started typing furiously into the keyboard as soon as the wireless was turned back on.

I watched with satisfaction as the elevator on the diagram came to a standstill in-between the twelfth and eleventh floor.

I breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Alright, we're following my lead now!" I yelled to the surrounding FBI agents and police officers.

Agent Ryans didn't look happy, but he had no choice but to relent. I had the knowledge and the upper hand here, not him.

"There is no bomb threat!" I yelled over the crowd of law enforcement officers, "But we do have a serious situation on our hands. We need to apprehend a criminal that is inside that building." I yelled, pointing to the other building.

With that said, I led them, including the FBI agents and the security manager, into the lobby of the other building. He was able to bring the lap top now that it no longer had to be connected and could work wirelessly.

"Alright, so what's our plan?" Agent Ryans asked, following me inside.

"Well, currently we have the Scarlet Thief hanging inside a metal box roughly around the twelfth floor. We can control the elevator however we want to, all we have to do is bring it down here and surround the thief, and there'll be no where for them to go." I told him.

I turned to the security manager, "Can you turn on the security camera inside the elevator?" He nodded and typed something into the computer again.

I looked over his shoulder as an image came up on the screen.

You could just make out the edge of some article of clothing in the corner of the screen. She was standing directly underneath the camera, keeping her identity hidden. Her effort was futile; I would be able to see her face to face momentarily.

We were still setting up the police officers in front of the elevator; it would be a few minutes before we would bring the elevator down.

I was still watching the screen when a phone rang somewhere.

"Agent Cullen, it's for you." I looked up at one of the FBI agents who was holding a phone from the front desk.

"From who?" I asked, bewildered.

The security manager cleared his throat and pointed at the screen which had a new light flashing, "It's coming from inside the elevator."

I suspiciously took the phone from his hand,

"Hello?"

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**BPOV** (Several minutes earlier)

With everything in my bag I stepped into the elevator and pushed the button with the number one on it.

As soon as the doors closed, I opened my bag and pulled out what I needed.

I pulled my shirt off over my head and stepped out of the pants I had been wearing. I then proceeded to change into the legitimate police uniform that I had gotten for situations just like this.

There were going to be so many police officers outside, seeing another one would be nothing unusual.

I was watching the numbers above the door count down as I tied my hair up into a ponytail and slipped into the correct shoes.

I re-zipped my bag and put it back on my back.

I watched as each number lit up as the elevator dropped past each floor.

'_15…14…13…12..-'_

The elevator stopped, I stumbled a bit.

'_Uh-oh'_

I regained my balance and looked around, as if the answer to why the elevator stopped moving was written on the walls. This was not good.

I knew that I didn't stop it, and I knew that no one inside the building could have stopped it because there **was** no one inside the building. Which only left…

"Shit!" Not only was the wireless back on, but someone knew that I was in here.

My eyes widened and my gaze snapped to the security camera above.

The light was still black, meaning that they hadn't turned it back on yet, but I was sure that they would soon.

I flattened myself to the wall directly underneath it.

The camera was stationed in the corner where the buttons and emergency phone were, I had a hard time trying to keep as much of my body as possible underneath it.

'_How could they possibly know?'_

My plan was perfect; I could detect no flaws in it. Only someone who really knew me would be able to anticipate-…

'_The new FBI agent'_

I wanted to slap my hand to my forehead, but it might have exposed me.

After a few moments, a new set of mind overcame me.

Moving carefully so that I could still stay out of the camera's range, I opened up the emergency phone compartment and picked it up.

The note on the inside gave multiple numbers; I pushed the one for the front desk.

It rang twice before someone picked up, I didn't even let them talk, "Put the main Agent on the phone."

There was some rustling and a few murmurs, but eventually I got what I wanted.

"Hello?" came a male voice.

"I must say, I am impressed." I said, pressing myself further to the wall, knowing that he was probably watching the video feed by now.

There was a pause.

"And why is that?" He replied.

"You are the only agent who has ever gotten this close to catching me; I thought I just had to congratulate you." I smiled.

"Don't you mean I'm the first agent who's ever caught you? I'm sure that you are aware by now that you are hanging in a metal box twelve floors up, which I have the controls for." He said.

I paused, and looked around the elevator as if considering what he said.

"True, true. But you are forgetting one thing." I said.

He paused again.

"What's that?" He asked.

The elevator restarted and I felt it start moving.

"That I'm the Scarlet Thief." I said before using the phone to hit the video camera, effectively breaking it.

I had about twenty seconds before the elevator reached the bottom floor. I would have to act fast.

I stepped onto the handlebar that covered the sides of the elevator and propelled myself up.

The ceilings of elevators were generally pretty weak, they weren't worried about people falling up, so they were generally made of thin plywood, or as this one happened to be plastic.

The ceiling was made of thin squares that were held up by strips of metal running across them. It took a few tries, but I was able to break one of the squares with the heel of my hand, opening a square large enough for me to climb through.

I pushed the square out and used my arms to lift myself through.

I was standing on top of the elevator as it continued dropping. The wind being pushed up through the elevator shaft was whipping my hair out of its ponytail as I started rummaging through my bag.

'_Where is it? Where is it!?!'_

"Oh, thank god!" I pulled out the small round container made of aluminum foil.

I learned long ago that you never know when you'll need to make a quick escape.

So, I started making my own flash grenades. By grinding together aluminum foil and other items from the pharmacy, and then wrapping it in more foil, I was able to take an escape with me wherever I went.

I pulled out the lighter I had in my bag and started trying to light the string fuse that was attached to the grenade.

'_Come on!'_ The wind preventing me from lighting it.

The elevator began slowing down when the string caught fire.

I immediately dropped it into the elevator through the hole I had created. I quickly grabbed the square I had forced out of the top of the elevator and put it back in place.

As soon as the flame on the string reached the mixture inside of the foil, it would let out an extremely bright flash, blinding anyone looking directly at it for at least a few minutes.

The elevator came to a stop.

'_Here we go.'_ I thought with a deep breath.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**EPOV**

The elevator was almost to the first floor.

It seemed like all the police officers and agents were holding their breath, nearly as tense as I was.

The elevator dinged as it reached the lobby.

We all raised our weapons.

The elevator doors crept open, my heart beat loudly in my chest.

I should have known that it would never be so easy.

We all stepped closer when we saw no one inside.

By the time I noticed it, it was too late.

The next thing I knew, I bright flash illuminated the room, and I couldn't see a thing.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**BPOV**

The sound of multiple outcries was my cue.

I lifted up the square again and jumped in, dropping down into the middle of the elevator.

I stepped out of the elevator doors and was impressed by what I saw.

At least thirty or so police officers were all rubbing their eyes and crying out in discomfort.

There were curses flying everywhere as I ran through them. Even though they couldn't see, I didn't want to stick around until they could.

Before I stepped out the door, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the diamond.

The light reflected off of it brightly.

'_The Scarlet Thief Strikes Again.'_ I thought as I put it back in my pocket and walked out the door.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**A/N: Hey, so there is the action I promised. I thought this chapter was fun to write; hopefully it was just as fun to read. I'm going to try and throw just as much, if not more action into each chapter. I've got some cool ideas. So I'm curious, what do you guys think is going to happen in this story? Those reviews are always fun to read. So click the green button right there! :P**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT **

**BPOV**

'_This is a bad idea. This is a really bad idea.'_ The same thought had been playing over and over in my head like a broken record all morning.

If you were to ask me why I was going back to the same coffee shop as yesterday, I couldn't tell you. Because I didn't know myself.

I hesitated for a fraction of a second before pushing open the front door, allowing the familiar scent of coffee beans to hit me.

After doing my usual perimeter scan, I walked up to the counter.

"Welcome back." Said the overeager guy behind the counter. He was wearing a name tag today; it read Mike in big bold letters.

"So, what'll it be today? The same as yesterday or something new?"

"Ummm…sure. Same as yesterday sounds fine." I told him, trying to keep the conversation brief.

"Coming right up." He said and started punching in the numbers to the cash register.

I handed him the cash he would need. I don't keep credit cards, too easily traceable. I leaned on the counter with one hand and let my gaze drift across the room. There were only a few people inside, the morning rush having passed about a half hour ago.

I could feel the counter-guy's eyes on me and returned my attention to him. His eyes looked anywhere but at me once he realized I had caught him looking.

"I'm Mike by the way." He said, looking at me again.

I nodded but didn't say anything.

"And you are?..." He prompted while making my drink.

"Waiting for her coffee." Came a voice behind me, making the skin on the back of my neck prickle. I hadn't heard him coming, something very unusual for me.

I grabbed the coffee which Mike had just put on the counter and turned around. For the second time this week I almost spilled my coffee on the same guy.

I was met with the now familiar striking green eyes, bronze hair and same charming smile.

I ducked my head and moved past him, sitting down in the furthest table away that still had a view of the front door.

There was a newspaper on the table next to mine so I grabbed in and started rifling through it to keep my mind busy.

'_I knew this was a bad idea.' _I thought as I attempted to read an article on an international diplomat.

I heard a nervous cough in front of me, alerting me to their presence.

I lowered the paper from in front of my face to be met with the sight of Mr. FBI agent.

My pulse picked up but my face remained in the same cool collected manner.

He cleared his throat and said, "Is anyone sitting here?" He gestured to the other chair at the table I was sitting at.

'_Say yes.'_ Came my subconscious, but instead what came out was, "No go right ahead."

My subconscious slapped its forehead.

A bright smile lit up his face at my response and he sat down.

"I'm Edward." He said, holding his hand out toward me.

I hesitated for a fraction of a second before placing my hand in his and saying, "Alexis"

As soon as our skin touched, a sharp electric shock went through my fingers and spread up my arm. I retracted my hand quickly in surprise.

He must have felt it too because he seemed to jump a little bit.

Instead of saying something to clear the awkwardness, I took a long sip of my coffee; I still didn't know why I was letting myself get this close to him.

It was after I had taken a sip from my coffee that I noticed the writing on the side of it.

I pulled back from it so I could read it, it said '_Call me'_ Written in black ink, followed by a seven-digit number that I assumed belonged to the guy behind the counter.

I rolled my eyes at his antics and put my drink back on the table, turning the writing away so I wouldn't have to look at it.

It seemed to catch Mr. FBI Agent's eye and I received a chuckle in response.

"Sorry about Mike, but I can guarantee you that this won't be his last attempt." He chuckled again before taking a sip of his own drink.

My eyes took him in, he seemed to be young for an FBI agent, my guess would be late twenties, around my age.

"So Alexis, what do you do for a living?" He asked.

I think the reason I was still here and talking to him was partly because I was curious, partly because I wanted more information, but it was the part that was amused by the situation that made me respond to his question with, "I work with diamonds and rare gems."

"Huh, you're kidding, I sometimes get to work with rare gems." At my accurately executed confused face, he clarified, "I'm a federal agent with the FBI, in the Major theft division."

My thoughts froze for a second before whirling into hyper mode.

Not only was he an FBI agent, of which there were many sub-groups that he could have belonged to, but he was an FBI agent in the sub-group that was in charge of my kind of crime.

"An FBI agent huh? What do you do in the Major Theft division?" I asked, even though I was well versed in the inner workings of most major law enforcement agencies.

He seemed happy that I was actually engaging in a conversation with him and said, "We go after thieves who steal rare painting, gems or other valuables."

I nodded and put on my I'm-really-interested-in-what-your-saying-so-please-keep-talking expression.

It must have been pretty convincing because he began to elaborate a little more.

"Well, technically I shouldn't be telling you this stuff, but I think I can trust you." He said with a playful smile. I put my chin in my palm and gave him my full attention.

"Right now I'm in charge of the team that's trying to catch a major thief. So far we've come up empty and the only information we've been able to get is that the thief is a woman." He said, taking another sip of his coffee. I could detect a hint of self-disappointment in his tone.

My curiosity was now piqued beyond measure.

"A woman?" I asked in a nonchalant manner while I traced the rim of my coffee cup with my fingertip.

"Yeah, you may actually recognize some of the gems that she's stolen, being in the business and all. Let me think," He paused and looked away as if deep in thought, "I believe that the first gem stolen that you may know is the Premier Rose Diamond. That was stolen a few years ago."

I choked on the coffee I had just swallowed, causing myself to go into a coughing fit for a few moments.

"Are you okay?" He asked, a concerned look on his face.

I nodded, trying to put a convincing smile on my face but wasn't quite succeeding..

I coughed a few more times, "Yeah, I've heard of that one."

'_Oh my god,' _I thought looking at the man in front of me with a whole new interest, _'This is the Agent who is personally in charge of making sure that I end up in jail as soon as possible.'_

The stone he was talking about was one of the first precious gems that got my hands on.

If only he knew that the person he was having polite conversation and drinking coffee with was the very thief we were discussing.

"What?" He asked, making me realize that I was still staring at him.

"Sorry" I said, shaking my head a little and taking another sip of my coffee.

My eyes still seemed to go back to his face against my own accord, still not believing the information I had just uncovered.

"I should get going." I told him

"Do you have to get to work?" He asked.

I smiled, standing up, "Something like that."

He returned the smile and said, "Will I see you here tomorrow?"

My smile turned into more of a sly grin as I leaned over near his ear and whispered, "Oh, don't worry. I think we'll be seeing a lot of each other, Edward."

I walked out the front door and slid on my sunglasses. I glanced over my shoulder one last time where I could see Edward looking in my direction, before walking away.

* * *

**Still BPOV (much later that day)**

Midnight was approaching as I walked into my garage.

With the small package safely stored in my pocket, I grabbed my helmet and got on my motorcycle, one of my prized possessions.

I had bought the MV Agusta F4CC for many reasons, but the main one was its speed. It could accelerate up to 195 miles per hour and was one of the lightest motorcycles I could find.

I slipped on my helmet which matched the same shade of black of the bike and revved the engine before speeding out the open door of my garage.

I was a blur in the dark night as I wove in and out of cars, missing impact by inches as I sped through the active city streets of Chicago.

Neon lights and club music flew past my head as flew in the direction I was headed.

Sooner than anyone else could have possibly gotten there, I slowed to a crawl in front of the club.

I parked my bike right in front and got off; I took off my helmet and shook my hair out.

I knew that no one would dare touch it so I felt perfectly fine leaving my bike right in front.

This was no ordinary club. There was no line leading down the sidewalk of hopeful people waiting to gain admittance. No, this was the kind of club where you were either in or out, no in-between. And the only way you could get in for the first time, is if you knew someone inside.

Luckily for me, I was very well known inside.

I strode up to the front door where two men stood guarding it. They were obviously armed and could easily snap someone in two by the size of their arms. But, like I said, I was very well known.

"Evening, boys." I greeted them. My voice was as recognizable as my face. One of them nodded towards me and opened the door quickly.

I stepped inside, it was lit dimly and music flowing all around.

I walked down the hallway and opened the door to the main room.

It was similar to a lounge; there was a bar on one side and tables and booths on the other.

It got a little quieter when I stepped inside and people started recognizing me; I even saw a few slipping back into the shadows.

I walked without hesitating to the back table. Without asking permission I sat down in the chair opposite a man I knew very well.

"Hello Felix." I said leaning back in the chair.

"Long time no see, Scarlet." He said, taking a sip of what I assumed was scotch.

"Sorry to be rude, but let's cut to the chase here. Do you have what you owe me?" I asked.

He sighed and put his drink down; "Fine, come on."

We both stood up and I followed him into one of the back rooms, his two guards following as well.

I shut the door behind us, cutting off the noise from the music in the other room.

There was another table in here, he sat in the chair on the other side and his two guards stood near the back wall.

"So I hear you didn't get out as clean as usual." He said, starting the conversation up again.

"You must have heard wrong then, because if that was the case then I would probably be in a jail cell right now instead of here." Was my response to his ridiculous assumption as I sat down as well.

"So you have it with you then?" He asked, leaning forward.

I reached into the pocket of my jacket and pulled out the small box.

His eyes snapped to it greedily.

I cleared my throat. "And your part of the deal?"

His head snapped up to look at me. "Oh, right. Of course."

He turned around in his chair and gestured to one of the guards, who stepped forward and placed a laptop on the table in front of Felix.

"Five hundred thousand, just like we agreed." He said typing something into the computer.

I detected a hint of reluctance in his voice.

"You know Felix, if you don't like my price, you can always go get the product yourself." I said with an almost mocking smile.

We both knew that I was one of the select few people in the world who was able to retrieve these items and get out clean.

He turned the computer screen towards me; I leaned forward and looked at it. He had pulled up his bank account and had set up a transaction.

I looked everything over twice before I was satisfied. Noticing this, Felix gestured towards the box.

I picked it up and undid the manual combination on it then swiped my finger to undo the final securities.

I reached into my pocket and pulled on one of my leather gloves before opening the box and pulling out the blue diamond.

All eyes in the room seemed to follow my hand as I handed it across the table and put it in Felix's gloved hand.

Felix was the man I usually sold my diamonds to. He would line up the buyers and resell it to them. I did it this way so that I wouldn't have to worry about selling it to someone who would turn on me. I preferred to have fewer connections.

That way I could count the number of people who knew what I did on one hand, and I'm able to keep track of them. I selected those people not only because of their expertise, but also because they know the price of turning on me.

He was turning the diamond over and over in his hand, checking to make sure that everything was exactly how it was supposed to be.

"Satisfied?" I asked, drumming my gloved fingertips on the tabletop.

"Very." He said before carefully placing the diamond in his own protected box.

I pointedly looked at the computer, indicating that he should get a move on with transferring the money.

"I know, I know." He pushed the enter button on the computer and turned it towards me again.

I flipped open my phone and opened my own account through the internet.

Once it read that five hundred thousand dollars had been transferred into my account, I flipped it closed with a satisfied smile.

"Pleasure doing business with you." I told him standing up and taking my now empty box off the table and returning it to my pocket.

He nodded towards me.

"Try not to sell it to someone who wants to cut it up, just for a few extra bucks." I told him.

"You know I wouldn't do that." He said, looking at me.

"And therein lies another reason why I work with you." I told him, placing my phone back in my pocket.

"See you around Scarlet." He said with a small smile.

I smiled back and walked out of the room; stepping into the same hushed silence that seemed to follow my presence.

I wove in-between bank robbers, scam artists, and counterfeiters on my way out; many of whom made way for me in respect of a higher level of criminal.

The world of thieves was completely separate from the outside world. It has its own law system, and levels of society. The guy who robs a drug store with a pocket knife is at the bottom lower class, while thieves like me who make it seem almost like a work of art, are at the top. I was among the few at the top who were good enough at what they did that their crimes made it to the FBI's most wanted list, but not their names.

I stepped outside into the cool air and breathed deeply.

I walked over to my bike, which still sat untouched, and got on. I took one last look at the club where the diamond would be staying behind, then put my helmet on and sped into the shadowy night.

* * *

**A/N: Hey, sorry about the lack of EPOV in this chapter, there'll be more in the next chapter. I know this wasn't the most exciting chapter, but there were some things I needed to get in there before I can throw in more action. And believe me; if you like action, then you will definitely like the next chapter. So how do you guys like Bella's choice of vehicle. It's a pretty cool motorcycle, very fast, very expensive. If you want to check it out it's called an ****MV Agusta F4CC. Just search for a picture of it and let me know that you think. :P**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT **

**BPOV**

Sweat was pouring down my face as I did a quick double-jab to the punching bag in front of me, followed by a spin kick.

Workouts like these were generally more effective with a sparring partner, but the people at gyms were no match and I rarely gained anything from fighting them. It wasn't that I was stronger; it was my swiftness and instinct to turn my opponent's forces against them that made me triumphant.

I wiped a few stray strands of hair out from my eyes and continued my workout.

My fists came in contact with the punching bag over and over again, my muscles strained as they made combinations of Jiu-Jitsu and kickboxing that had become instinctual to me.

My skin and muscles felt like they were tingling with energy by the time I was finished and satisfied.

* * *

**EPOV**

I pushed open the coffee shop door and immediately looked to the far back corner where Alexis had been sitting the last couple times I had run into her.

But the table was empty.

I swept my gaze throughout the rest of the shop to make sure that I hadn't missed her. My search came up empty.

I stepped up to the counter where Mike nodded at me in greeting.

"Did she come earlier today?" I asked him.

He shook his head, "She hasn't come in at all yet." He said.

I was slightly disappointed and decided to wait around for a few minutes just to see if she showed up late.

A half-hour later I was cutting it close to being late to work when I decided that it was time to leave; she was probably just wasn't in the mood for coffee today.

Or, at least that's what I told myself.

* * *

**BPOV ****(7 hours later)**

I was standing on a bridge overpass that crossed over one of the main streets.

As I stood on the sidewalk I rested my arms on the concrete railing and leaned over the side. Cars were speeding by underneath. I checked my watch again; I still had a few minutes.

I turned around and leaned my back against the railing. People rarely used this overpass anymore because they built a new one a few years ago further up the road that was more convenient. Nowadays the one I was standing on was mainly used by the occasional biker and sometimes a pedestrian or tourist would use it because they didn't know where they were going.

I intertwined my fingers and stretched my arms over my head, turning my head from side to side to further loosen myself up.

I reached into my bag and pulled out special gloves that I used strictly for situations like this. I slid them on carefully and flexed my fingers through the stiff material, careful to keep them apart from each other.

I checked my watch again, my time was coming up.

I looked down the sidewalk both directions before hoisting myself up until I was standing on the concrete railing, looking down at the cars rushing by below me in the direction I was facing.

I took a few deep breaths, perfect timing was mandatory. Without it I was as good as dead.

I checked my watch, twenty seconds roughly.

I glanced over my shoulder and saw my target approaching.

I took another few quick, deep breaths watching as it came closer and closer.

I did the physics in my head, then I jumped.

Jumping off high places is nothing like in the movies. There is no slow motion where the actor has time to do a cool stunt before landing perfectly with ease.

No, you fall quickly and you fall hard.

I landed on the top of the armored vehicle with a painful 'thud'. The force of my impact shook up my legs, rattling my bones. If I had landed at any other angle I would surely have at least one broken ankle.

I immediately placed my gloved hands on the top of the car with my palms spread out as far as possible.

The gloves had slivers of strong magnets sown into the fingers and palm. It wasn't strong enough to hold my weight, but it was strong enough to make sure that I wouldn't go flying off by the force of the wind.

I dug the tips of my shoes into a crevice in the metal to keep from slipping and I lay as flat as possible as the car kept moving down the busy downtown street.

The car was large and armored, which meant that it had the same outer coating as a tank, but the structure of an SUV. I would be insane to try and get inside. There were so many security measures and locks with dead bolts that It would take me hours to crack them all, all while trying to hang onto a vehicle moving at over forty miles per hour and trying not to get noticed by people in other cars.

But thankfully, the items in this armored transport vehicle were not what I was after.

I was after the place the vehicle was heading. This vehicle was used to transport valuables or large sums of money from one secure location to another.

Often banks will own these vehicles when they need to move millions of dollars and don't want to risk it getting stolen. It takes a lot planning and timing. The people in charge of guarding these valuables take their job very seriously. They leave at an exact time and take an exact route.

They plan it out this way to reduce any chance of unknown surprises. Unfortunately for them, it also means that if someone gets a hold of those plans, then they can estimate exactly where the vehicle will be driving by at a specific time.

As it happens, the vehicle that I was currently riding on top of was transporting thirty million dollars in cash to a secure location that was supposedly unknown.

The location was essentially a giant safe where valuables were stored within separate vaults, each with their own security mechanisms. Even I wouldn't be able to get past the main security measures to get inside without tripping some sort of alarm system.

So, instead of hammering away at it from the outside, I was going to let them take me inside where the security was more along the lines of cracking safes, rather than dodging cameras and motion detectors.

I tucked my head down as far as I could to minimize the amount of ice, cold wind that was blowing in my face.

I was wearing a pair of form fitting black pants and a long-sleeve shirt that stuck to my skin like a glove. I wasn't going to risk my clothing catching on anything or slowing me down.

Soon, the amount of traffic noise began to decrease and I realized we were out of the downtown area and into a quieter area away from all the people.

It was about an hour after sunset, darkness was completely covering everything like a thick blanket.

The vehicle rumbled through the gate once the guard at the post opened it.

I pressed myself to the vehicle below me as much as possible. All I needed was for one person to spot me before all the bells and whistles began going off.

The vehicle rumbled forward past a few more gates before pulling into a large opening in the side of the building that led to a garage big enough to hold a few airplanes.

I waited until the giant metal doors of the garage closed firmly before springing into action.

My arm muscles strained as I tried and eventually succeeded at pulling my magnet gloves off the top of the vehicle.

I jumped off the top of the vehicle to the right just as I heard the driver's door open.

I pressed my back to the side of it and steadied my breathing so that I wouldn't make as much noise.

"So where did he say he wanted us to transfer this stuff. Section B?" Came the voice from the other side of the car.

My heart beat increased a fraction when the passenger door which was located on my side of the vehicle, swung open. I dropped to the ground and rolled under the vehicle just as I heard a deeper voice answer the first's question. "Yeah, were just moving it to Section B and we can get the specific container number from there."

I watched his feet walk around to the back of the vehicle, as I held my breath.

I heard the clank of metal locks turning and keys dangling as they unlocked the back of the vehicle.

I heard a few grunts which was obviously the out of shape guards lifting the large containers of money out of the back.

I waited until their heavy footsteps got quieter and quieter, followed by a door closing, before rolling out from underneath the car.

I didn't have much time before they came back to unload more of the money. The first thing I did was take off my gloves and place them in my bag. The last thing I needed was to find myself attached to a metal safe.

I ran over to door on the opposite side of the room that the guards left.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a few tools before picking the easy lock and slipping through; they weren't worries about people getting through here, all the real security was further inside.

I ran down the deserted hallway, pulling up the memory of the blueprints in my mind.

I had to pick a few more basic locks before I got to the exact area I needed to be in.

This was where security was much tighter.

I took a deep breath before cracking my knuckles and setting to work on the vault in front of me.

* * *

**EPOV**

I was sitting in my office, staring at the whiteboard that was set up.

It was covered with pictures of jewels and paintings that had both been stolen or were at risk of being stolen.

I took a sip of my now cold coffee and grimaced at the taste.

I rubbed my eyes with the heel of my hand and held back a yawn.

I got up to dump out my coffee and stretch my legs. The office was beyond empty. The only other person here was the janitor and I'm sure that even he would leave before I did.

'_So this is what it's come to.'_ I thought to myself, _'hanging out at work on a Friday night rather than doing something that a normal person would. Like sleep'_

There was something about this case that compelled me. No matter how hard I tried, which wasn't very hard, I couldn't pull myself away. I was constantly being hit with new clues or ideas on how to solve it, how to catch her. It was starting to posses me.

It was after that last thought went through my mind that I began to think I was in desperate need of sleep before I started to hallucinate.

I walked back into my office and was about to turn off my desk lamp to head home when my cell rang.

I blinked the sleepiness out of my eyes as I glanced at the caller ID. I didn't recognize the number but flipped it open and answered it anyways.

"Agent Cullen." I answered in my usual greeting.

"Hi, yes. I'm the head of security for the Northern Trust Bank secure storage location. You said that we were holding some items that could possibly be targeted, and that we should call you whenever we get any sort of alarm going." He said.

My tiredness was immediately wiped away. "Which section?" I asked quickly, flipping through the notes that were scattered across my desk.

"Listen, I don't think it's anything serious. We're sending guards over there to check it out. It was one of our silent alarms that got tripped, but nothing else went off and there's been no activity on our exterior security cameras." He continued.

"Could you please tell me which section the alarm was tripped in?" I asked, my urgency slipping into my voice.

I heard him sigh before saying, "It was the motion detector set up outside vault two-hundred and thirteen in section D. It's like I said, probably I false alarm. We just put that alarm in not too long ago; we haven't even been able to put it on our security layout yet."

I ran my finger down the list on the piece of paper I was holding, nodding to myself when the same vault came up on my list of possible locations.

"I'll be there in a few minutes." I said, before hanging up on his cries of protest.

Soon I was sitting in my car, flooring it down the streets in the direction of the storage location.

Slower then I would have liked I was flashing my badge to the guy at the gate, who then proceeded to wave me through.

* * *

**BPOV**

Something was wrong.

There was a feeling in my gut that told me it was time to get out of there. Now.

I swiped the ruby quickly before retracing my carefully placed steps out of the vault.

I placed the gem in my pocket after slipping it into a protective bag. I wasn't going to risk it getting damaged in my backpack.

My gut feeling was correct when I heard a few voices down the hall coming in my direction.

I listened for a fraction of a second, their conversation was casual. It didn't make any sense; if they were coming for me, they would be running and yelling.

Either way I wasn't going to stick around here. Because I'm sure the yelling would start once they realized they'd been robbed.

'_But why were they coming through here anyways? Security rounds aren't part of these guards job.'_ I thought, puzzled.

My desire to find the answer to that question overcame my instinct to leave. I trusted myself to be able to get out of any situation that I might come across.

Instead of heading for an exit, I headed in the direction of the surveillance room.

I eventually found it and put my ear to the door, when I heard no sound I cracked it open and slipped inside.

Like I expected, it was empty. Probably the same guards who were walking down the hall were the ones who had just vacated this very room.

I walked over to the computer screens that displayed each of the vaults and their securities.

"Damn" I said quietly to myself when I say a small square on the screen flashing next to the vault I was just in.

'_Why the hell wasn't that on the blueprints?'_ I thought to myself. It was a silent alarm, probably either motion or sound activated.

I was about to head out when a screen on the far right caught my eye.

It was the security camera feed.

I walked over to it and couldn't stop the smile that stretched on my face when I saw who was on it.

This opportunity was way too good to pass up.

* * *

**EPOV**

I followed the guards into the building.

He kept on assuring me that it was a false alarm and that the guards he sent found no one.

I was still relentless though and insisted that he take me to the vault.

Once there he took a few minutes to unlock the vault, and then let me step through before him.

I stepped carefully, looking everywhere to make sure I wouldn't miss anything.

"I don't understand why you're all worried. None of the other alarms were tripped." Said the guard as he stepped in behind me.

"Exactly." I said, turning to look at him for a second before turning back to the different compartments within the vault.

"What's the most valuable item in this vault?" I asked, turning back to look at him.

"Ummm" He started, flipping through his papers, "I believe that there is a ruby being stored and some large sums of cash.

"Will you please unlock the compartment that holds the ruby?" I asked, getting more anxious with every second.

I think it was only because I was FBI that made him comply with my request.

He pulled out the key and opened the lock to the small compartment.

It was after he pulled open the small door that I heard the expected strangled sound coming from his mouth.

I let out a deep breath, "I take it its empty." I rubbed my temple with my fingertips.

When he didn't respond I took it as a yes.

"Alright, here's what we're going to do. She may still be in the facility. Gather your guards and cover the east wing while I go and cover the west. Hopefully we'll drive her out where your guards on the outside can grab her.

My words seemed to snap him into action and he immediately started talking into his radio, letting his co-worker know what was happening.

We both ran out of the vault, him turning left and me turning right.

I picked up my speed and started running down the deserted hallway, trying to keep my instincts on high alert, able to react to anything.

I threw open a few doors along the way, hoping to get lucky and catch sight of her.

It was only after I threw open one of the large doors toward the end of the hall that I heard something.

A person clearing their throat.

I stopped in my tracks and drew my gun from its holster on my belt.

With calculated movements I stepped into the room.

The room was pitch black, I had no idea where the light switch was, and I wasn't about to drop my weapon and go fumbling around for it.

I stepped further inside, using the weaver stance to keep both hands on my gun as I walked forward.

The door shut loudly behind me and I spun around quickly toward the sound.

"I must say, I am once again impressed with your skills." Came a voice from the direction I was now facing.

My mind was spinning. _'That voice…where have I heard…'_

The lights flicked on and the figure of a woman leaning casually against the door appeared.

"Hello again, Edward."

But this wasn't just any woman.

"Alexis?"

If my mind was spinning before, it was in hyper mode now.

"Oh, that's right I knew my name had started with an 'A'; I just couldn't remember if it was Anna, Amy or something else." She said in response to my reaction.

My jaw was still practically on the floor; she seemed to realize that I was still processing things and continued talking.

"You know, you should really tell the guards here to be more careful." She stopped leaning against the door and began walking in a relaxed stroll but still keeping her distance. "Oh, and to update their security blueprints."

"When did you-" I started

"-realize that you were a special agent? The first time I saw you in the coffee shop." She said, finishing my sentence for me.

'_I should have recognized her voice from the first time I heard her talk. The elevator, when she had talked to me. Damn it. I should have realized it was her.'_

My mind was finally catching up with everything and overcoming the moment of surprise.

When my gaze finally came out of my memories, I noticed that she was looking at me with her eyebrows raised, then when she realized that my mind was functioning once again, she continued talking.

"For the record, I'm very impressed with your tenacity to catch me." She continued, still circling me.

My voice seemed to finally return, "So the entire time, it was you Alexis? You were the one stealing everything?"

"First of all, if you're going to call me something, you can call me Scarlet, everyone else does. And to prevent myself from being incriminated, I'm going to let you answer your question for yourself, because I'm sure you already know the answer." She said. I had to get her to keep talking.

"I know you stole the ruby from here. Why not any cash? God knows there's enough of it here." I asked, turning to comply with her movement.

"Do you have any idea how heavy cash is?" She asked me like I was an idiot. "And these pants are way too tight to stuff millions of dollars into the pockets."

I couldn't stop my gaze from automatically traveling to her legs, which were indeed covered in form-fitting pants. I had to shake my head to get myself to focus again.

"So, now what are you going to do? There's no way out. You're cornered." I said.

She tilted her head as if considering what I said.

"Instead, let me ask you a question." She said, stepping closer to me, making me raise my gun higher in accordance.

She paused a moment before asking, "Can you fight without your gun?"

By the time I processed what she said, her foot had already swung around and come in contact with my hand, sending my gun flying across the room.

My gaze snapped in the direction it flew, and when I turned my head back to her in surprise, I had to duck to avoid a fist coming at me.

'_Of course she can fight.'_ I was starting to think that there was nothing this woman _can't_ do.

When her fist came again, I blocked it with my forearm, keeping my face protected.

I quickly realized that her weak attempt at a punch was not meant to do damage. It was meant to distract. And distract it did. I groaned a little when her knee came up in contact with my stomach, sure that there was going to be a bruise there in the morning.

She may not have been stronger than me, but she could still pack one hell of a hit.

"Are you not fighting back because I'm a girl?" She said, stepping back slightly breathless, "Or because you don't want to embarrass yourself for your lack of fighting skills without a gun."

I narrowed my eyes and she smiled.

She held her hands up in front of her, curling the tips of her fingers in rather than creating a fist.

I raised my own fists and gestured that the first move was her's.

She smirked and swung her leg up and around faster than anyone I've ever seen, it barely clipped the side of my chin, but I managed to block most of it from doing any real damage.

Training for being an FBI agent required the ability to fight without a weapon. It was instinctual for me to respond to her attack with a return.

She ducked quickly and my swing went over her head with a 'whoosh'.

I followed up with my left hand which she blocked with the side of her arm. While her side was exposed my right hand came in contact with her shoulder hitting her with the heel of my hand, definitely hard enough to leave a bruise.

She only stumbled back slightly before she jumped right back into the fight.

She threw out her arm in a punch that was aimed at my jugular, but I blocked it then grabbed onto her arm, pulling her forward.

Before she could try to hit me again, I had both her arms pinned to her side, her back against my chest; her body pressing into mine.

We were both breathing heavily.

"Jiu-Jitsu?" She asked slightly breathless, recognizing my fighting style.

"Brazilian." I grunted

"Me too." She said, before swinging one of her legs out backwards, knocking one of mine out from under me so that I went tumbling forward; then she slipped out from under my body while it was cascading towards the ground.

I rolled into the fall to lessen the impact.

"Well, it's been fun Edward, but I really should get going. The police probably coming for me and all." She said.

I saw my gun on the ground a few feet in front of me, I dove for it. Grabbing it in my hands I turned towards her direction, but was met with an empty room.

"Damn it!" I yelled into the empty room, lifting myself off the floor and sprinting out of the room.

I ran down the hallway, heading for the door that would lead outside.

My gun was still drawn as I busted out the door into the open area of concrete that was between the gates and the building, I could hear many different alarms going off all around me.

I looked in every direction, only spotting guards that were running around trying to get as many security measures up and working as possible.

I didn't know things could have gotten any worse until I saw my Mercedes pass me and head for the gate, Alexis- I mean Scarlet behind the wheel.

"That's my car!" I started sprinting after it, because for some reason I felt that I could catch it. I started yelling them to stop it, lock down the gate, something, anything.

But, as usual that night, nothing seemed to want to go my way.

The idiots at the gate must have thought that it was me driving, since it was after all, you know, my car.

I was nearly tearing my hair out by the time I ran up to the head of security.

He seemed to do a double take between me and the direction the car went in, realization dawning on him, his face paling slightly.

"This is not good." He said.

I looked at him like he was insane, "You think!?!" I was bent over breathing heavily, both from the fight and the run.

"She got the ruby, she got my car." I was ticking the things off on my fingertips.

I froze.

I immediately reached into my jacket pocket, feeling the emptiness where my ID should have been.

"And she got my FBI I.D.. Fantastic. She must have slipped it out when we were fighting."

The memory of her body pressed against mine rose up and I ran a hand through my hair and cleared my throat. I probably shouldn't divulge that exact detail.

I was staring in the direction where my car had been driven away, groaning in disbelief at my bad luck.

I raised a hand to my chin where her foot had made contact; it was already starting to bruise.

"So." He said, gaining my attention, "I guess you need a ride?"

* * *

**A/N: Hey, so I hope you guys liked that fight scene, I thought it was kind of fun. Let me know if you liked it. The next chapter will be good to, or, at least I think it will be. Anyways, reviews inspire me to write, so please click the green button below! :P**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT **

**BPOV**

I sat at the oak table in my house and turned the ID badge over and over again in my fingers, letting the light reflect off it and make patterns on the ceiling.

The same smiling face would appear after every flip, and my gaze would catch the intense green eyes there were still deep in a picture.

I stopped spinning it and looked closer at the picture.

His bronze hair fell carelessly, almost as if he had just rolled out of bed. I could tell that the smile on his face way genuine by the way his eyes crinkled.

I started to realize that my own lips were forming into a small smile and immediately stopped it.

I put the ID badge down on the table and pulled out one of my many disposable cell phones.

I pulled the number from memory and punched it in quickly.

I didn't keep a list of contacts; I couldn't risk misplacing it and having someone find it.

It rang a couple times before it was picked up quickly and a harsh voice snapped "What!?"

"Well, hello to you to Seth." I responded, used to his short temper by now; I turned to look out the window, Lake Michigan stretching out before me.

There was a pause where he was obviously trying to match my voice to a name. I could tell when he did because there was coughing and a lot of throat-clearing.

"Scarlet, I didn't know you were going to be calling" He said, his voice much lighter and happier now.

I rolled my eyes at his turn around emotion and said, "I need you to do something for me."

"Name it." People took owing me very seriously. As they should. I was a great person to have on your side, but I could be deadly if you did something to be put on my bad side.

I turned back around to look at the ID badge and said, "I need you to find everything you can on an Agent Edward Cullen."

"Cullen." He mused, "The names not ringing any bells. What's so special about this one?"

"Nothing, I just need information. Can you get it, or am I going to have to take my business elsewhere?" I asked, baiting him.

He didn't hesitate to reclaim the job and said, "No no no, I got it. Where does he work?"

"FBI, major crimes division, Chicago. ID number 52728765" My eyes shifted automatically to the picture smiling up at me.

"FBI?" I heard him let out a deep exhausted breath. "Alright, I'll do it. But only because it's you."

"You know I'm good for it." I said, and then hung up.

Oftentimes the people I would use for things that I couldn't do myself had enough money that, instead of exchanging money for the task, we would exchange talents.

Seth had resources that reached within the deepest depths of agencies; he has the clearance level of NSA and CIA agents and is the best information gatherer that I could find who was willing to work with me.

A while ago, he needed someone who could get inside a high security building to attach a wireless password cracker to one of the main computers.

And, since he didn't have the ability to crawl through air vents and practically disappear into thin air; he called me.

He knew that the favor I had just asked him didn't make us even; I would probably be calling him again in the future.

I glanced at the clock on the wall and estimated that I had a while before Seth would be getting back to me.

It was while pondering what to do to waste my time when a bright idea struck me.

Smiling, I grabbed a key off the table and headed out the door.

* * *

**EPOV**

I dragged my feet into the office, automatically reaching into my pocket for my ID Badge.

My scowl deepened when my fingers met nothing but the soft fabric of my pocket.

I held up the line getting inside as I instead went through the process of trying to convince the same security guard that I see every single day that I was FBI; eventually he seemed to remember me and let me through.

After a few unkind comments from the fellow coworkers who were behind me in line; I got on the elevator and headed up to the correct level.

I shouldered my way past the other people in the elevator and grumbled at those who didn't get out of my way fast enough.

There were lots of stares and whispers as I tried to make my way to my office without attracting attention. I was failing miserably.

I slipped into my office and closed the door behind me.

I threw my briefcase onto the floor near my chair and sat down, resting my face in my hands.

I heard the door open and picked my head up.

Jasper, one of my only friends, came in and closed the door behind him.

His eyes rose to look at me and he stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Don't-" I started, but he ignored me.

"You look like crap." Was his blunt observation.

I growled at him.

He held his hands up in mock surrender.

"So I guess your evening was exciting. Care to share?" He asked, sitting in one of the chairs opposite my desk.

I let out a deep breath. "Well, I lost my car, my ID badge, a ruby, and my ego took a pretty good hit as well."

"Ouch." Was his reply.

"You can say that again." I said, I touched my lip with my fingertips, feeling the swelling.

"And you know what the worst part of it is?" I asked him rhetorically.

He raised his eyebrows, obviously enjoying my story.

"It turns out; the same girl that I've been having coffee with _is_ the scarlet thief." I leaned back in my chair and let my head fall back. I almost wanted to laugh at the irony.

"Are you able to ID her?" Jasper asked.

I shook my head, "I'm going to see if I can borrow a car from someone and run back to the coffee shop, see if they got any footage of her on their security tapes. I know that the Northern Trust Bank secure storage location doesn't have any footage, I checked last night."

I looked up and was met with him smiling at me.

"What?" I asked

"I'm starting to like this girl. Anyone who can get you this rattled _and_ kick your ass is worth meeting."

I narrowed my eyes at him and was about to give him a cynical response when I heard my boss's voice calling me.

I groaned and got up from my desk.

I knocked on my boss's door and entered when I heard a gruff, "come in".

He looked up from the papers he was holding and I could see his eyes visibly widen when he saw my swollen and bruised lip.

"What happened?" He asked gesturing to my face. I took a deep breath before repeating what I had just told Jasper, but with more detail.

He didn't say anything the entire time I was retelling the story of what happened.

When I got to the part about how I had actually met her before, and yet was still not able to ID her, the corners of his lips turned down.

"So, now I was going to head out and see if I can get the security tapes from the coffee shop I was at. Though I'm going to need to borrow a car from someone." That last part I said more to myself.

He ran a hand over his brow and I could see the parts of his face that were beginning to age.

"This is starting to go too far Edward; too many priceless objects have been stolen. I'm starting to think letting you go without a partner was a mistake." He said, looking at me.

I blanched, "I can assure you sir, I work much better alone."

"Well, how can I know if you've never had a partner?" He asked, the tone in his voice telling me that his question was rhetorical.

He sighed and looked at me; the expression on my face must have given away just how badly I didn't want a partner.

"Fine" He said, "I won't give you a partner. But I have assigned someone from the psychology department to this case; maybe we can get into the thief's head and figure out what she's going to do before she does it." With that said, I was excused.

I walked out the room even more exhausted then when I entered.

Jasper spotted me and followed me back to my office, obviously curious about whatever happened between me and Aro.

I walked back into my own office and stopped short when I saw a woman sitting in one of the chairs.

I looked at Jasper but he shrugged.

"Can I help you?" I asked, startling her.

She gathered herself and stood up, holding out her hand to me.

"I'm Rosalie Hale, from the psychology department." She smiled when her presence seemed to click in my head.

I shook her hand back and said, "Edward Cullen"

"Director Aro assigned me to your case; he said you may need some help." I tried not to grimace at her last statement.

I looked over my shoulder and noticed a quite amused Jasper watching our conversation. At my pointed look though, he left quickly.

I turned back to Rosalie, "So what is it that you're planning to do?" I asked.

"Well, I've dealt with criminals like these before and I'm able to understand how they work, and this in turn will help you catch them." She said, sending a soft smile my way. She had long blonde hair and a bright white smile.

I had to admit, Rosalie was very pretty, but she wasn't my type. I preferred brunettes.

"Alright, why don't you get yourself caught up on the case while I'm gone; then we can watch the video tapes together." I said as I grabbed the jacket that was on the back of my chair.

She nodded and followed me as I headed out the door.

I was about to start asking around for a car to borrow when one of the trainee interns came up to me and said, "Agent Cullen, there's a situation downstairs. They sent me up here to get you."

I groaned, "What now?"

He just shrugged and went on to do whatever pointless task he was assigned next.

Rosalie followed me as I took the elevator downstairs and went to go talk to the people working security and at the front desk.

Instead, however my attention was diverted by a large group of people gathered around something outside.

I pushed open the glass doors and shouldered my way through the crowd.

I stopped short and my jaw practically hit the floor when I saw my car parked on the side of the road. There was a large piece of paper taped to the window that said: 'To Agent Edward Cullen'. And there was large red bow stuck to the top.'

There were tons of other agents and bystanders chuckling at the sight in front of them.

I stepped forward and pulled the piece of paper off the window; there was an envelope attached to the back.

I opened it up and looked inside, pulling out the key to the car and a letter.

I unfolded the letter and read through it.

It said:

Thanks for the ride, but I prefer my own.

P.S. I'm keeping the badge though.

~Scarlet~

I didn't know what to think about that, so I just refolded the letter and put it back in the envelope.

I turned to one of the interns and said, "Get this to the lab; they're going to need to do a full checkup before I'm able to drive it." He nodded and ran off to do what I asked.

It was when I felt her tap my shoulder that I realized Rosalie had been with me the entire time.

She gestured to the envelope and I handed to her.

She pulled out the letter again and read through it a few times.

Once she got to the end she smiled and let out a small laugh.

"I can tell this is going to be fun." She said before putting the letter away and heading back inside.

I let out a deep breath and turned back to my car, shaking my head in exhaustion as I leaned against it.

* * *

**BPOV**

"Thanks Seth." I said into the phone as I pulled up the files on my computer.

I would scan through them later; there was a lot of information to go through.

Another idea hit me as I was pulling up a map on my computer.

"Hey Seth, are you doing anything else this afternoon?" I asked him.

He pause, obviously confused. "No, why?" His tone was curious and cautious.

"I need another favor. And if you help me with this, I'll consider us even." I said.

He immediately jumped at the chance, "Name it."

"Meet me in an hour at the corner of First Street and Clark Avenue. And bring your gear." I told him, checking my watch.

"You got it. I'll see you then." He said before hanging up.

I hung up my own phone and turned my attention to the map on my computer screen. I watched the blinking red dot as it moved down the street a small distance before stopping.

I smiled and sipped the cup of tea that was sitting on my desk.

I had placed a GPS tracker inside Agent Edward's car before I dropped it off. They would have to take the entire vehicle apart to find it, and I doubt they would do that.

No, I'm sure that they would sweep it for bombs and make sure that the brakes were still intact. But I doubt they would take it apart piece by piece.

It was a while before I watched the dot leave the area it was in.

That was my cue to leave. I got up from my desk and grabbed the badge from the table.

Twenty minutes later I was standing on the corner of First Street and Clark Avenue standing next to Seth.

"Are you ready?" I asked him.

"Yeah, what are we doing?" He asked, trying to warm his hands up by rubbing them together.

"You" I said, pointing at him, "Are going to hack into the FBI's database and erase some specific stuff from the system."

He stopped short, "I would need to have direct access to their system. I can't do it remotely; even I'm not that good."

"Ahhh, but you see. That's what you have me for." I said as I started walking.

Ten minutes later I had my sunglasses on as I led a handcuffed Seth through the front doors of the FBI building.

I didn't hesitate as I flashed Agent Edward's badge to security quickly as I escorted Seth through. I flashed it quickly enough that they wouldn't get a good look at the picture.

To everyone else, I was an FBI agent leading an arrested criminal in for booking.

Which was actually half true, since Seth was in fact a criminal. And he wasn't hesitating to play his part; he was struggling as much as possible in his handcuffs which I'm sure were starting to chafe his wrists.

I had swiped the cuffs from another Agents pocket outside the building; I had pretended to bump into them while my quick fingers grabbed the cuffs.

The elevator was empty when we got on, so Seth took that opportunity to talk.

"How can you act so calm?" He asked, turning to look at me with a look of disbelief.

I just smiled and brushed my sunglasses to the top of my head, "Lots of practice."

I looked up at the numbers above the doors, we were almost there.

"And you're sure Agent what's-his-name isn't here?" He asked for the fifth time, nervousness leaking into his tone.

"For the last time, yes. He's out trying to get the video tapes with me on them; but I took care of those a few hours ago." I said, smirking as I replaced my sunglasses back on my face.

* * *

**EPOV**

"What do you mean, 'they're gone'?" I asked Mike over the counter at the coffee shop.

I came here to collect the security tapes from the times the thief was here; but discovered they were no longer available.

"I mean they're gone. I don't have them anymore." He said, not understanding why I was so upset with him.

"Did you throw them out?" I asked, hoping that I could salvage them somehow.

"No, I gave them to your partner a few hours ago." He said, still confused.

I froze at the word 'partner', "What? Did you just say my partner picked them up?"

"Yeah, she came in here waving her ID badge around, saying that she was FBI and whatnot and that she needed the security tapes. So I gave them to her." He said, as if he couldn't find anything wrong with what he was saying.

"Who was she?" I asked him, still in disbelief.

"What do you mean 'who was she', she's your partner. She's the girl you were sitting in here with a few days ago."

I closed my eyes and sighed. _'of course… Scarlet'_

"Listen Mike, that girl is **not** my partner. She's not even real FBI. If you see her again, call me." I told him before putting on my sunglasses and heading outside.

* * *

**BPOV**

"How much longer." I whispered to Seth.

We were inside one of the small rooms that housed all the mainframes for the computers. He had his laptop on his lap and wires were running everywhere.

His fingers were flying across the keys when he said, "Not much longer. I've just got a couple left. Remind me again why I'm doing this?" He glanced up at me before going back to his computer.

"The new FBI Agent on my case is good. Too good. Sooner or later he's bound to find my prints somewhere, and even though I'm sure I've slowed him down, I'm sure that it won't take him long to find a picture of me somewhere. You are going through and erasing any trace of me that's in the system." I told him.

That way, when he runs my fingerprints, he'll have a harder time connecting me to anything. Not that I'm in the system for anything big, but in my early days I had a few slip ups. There should be dozens of unidentified fingerprints that were found at crime scenes and whatnot. I can't have him matching mine to any of those.

A few minutes later he shut his laptop and smiled at me. "Done. Now, can we get out of here? It's starting to make me nervous."

I nodded and peeked out the door before slipping out with Seth behind me.

"Actually," I said, pausing for a second as an idea struck me, "you go ahead, there's something I want to do before leaving. I doubt I'll ever get the chance again."

Seth looked dubious; I decided to take pity on him and told him the best way to get out without running into anyone.

He didn't stick around long and soon I was walking the halls of the FBI headquarters by myself.

My senses were on high alert; I was essentially in enemy territory.

A small part of me was telling me to leave, to not risk it.

But the bigger, less wise, danger-seeking part of my mind was egging me on and was the part that made me keep putting one foot after the other.

When I finally came to what I was looking for, I hesitated for a split second before opening the door that read Agent Cullen and slipped inside.

I closed the door behind me and looked around.

It was a fairly generic office. A large desk, a few chairs here and there.

The one thing that did catch my eye though, was the large whiteboard on the side.

I strode over to it and smiled as I looked it over.

It was essentially a map out of my work over the past few years. There were photos of safes and museums along with diamonds and pieces of artwork that had at some point been in my hands.

It was fascinating in a way; almost like reading a biography about yourself that you didn't even know had been written.

I scanned my eyes over lists of gems and locations where I had supposedly struck, along with the date.

I was even more impressed now. It was almost flattering how much work Agent Edward has put into catching me and studying my case.

I glanced at my watch and realized I was cutting it extremely close and that I was definitely overstaying my welcome.

With one last glance at the whiteboard I opened the door and stepped out of the office.

I spun around quickly when I came in contact with someone's body.

It was a guy with dirty blonde hair and a small smile, "Sorry about that." He said, steadying me. "Are you waiting to see Edward?"

I glanced at the door once before clearing my throat and saying, "No, I'm not."

"Well then I'll just get out of your way." He said, laughing a little before sidestepping out of the way.

I gave him a small smile, one that didn't show my anxiety.

"I'll see you around." He said.

I didn't know what to say to that, so I just nodded and turned to walk down the hallway, trying not to let the feeling that I was in a hurry to leave show on my face.

I pressed the button for the elevator and waited, trying not to look over my shoulder every second.

The elevator doors opened and I let out a small gasp. Edward was standing in the middle of the elevator staring at a piece of paper in his hands. I slipped into the nearest door before he looked up and recognized me.

I was now in the stairwell and had my back pressed against the wall. My heart was beating faster than normal; I told myself that it was from my narrow escape, but part of me thought it was for a different reason.

* * *

**EPOV**

I heard a small gasp and looked up from the paper I was reading, but the space in front of me was empty.

Thinking that I was imagining things, I stepped out of the elevator and was soon joined by Rosalie.

"So, did you get the tapes?" She asked.

"Don't ask." I said, as I stepped into my office.

I was barely in my office for two seconds before Jasper knocked on the open door with a smile on his face and said, "Hey Eddie, there was a girl here to see you."

I looked back at the papers in my hands and absentmindedly said, "Who was it?"

He shrugged, "Dunno, she didn't tell me. She was really pretty though, brown hair, brown eyes.

I looked up at him, my attention officially caught.

"She said that she wasn't waiting for you, but I ran into her while she was coming out of your office. And she had this smile that was more of a smirk." He said, he was about to elaborate but I cut him off; the smirk component telling me exactly who it was.

"How long ago was this?" I asked.

"I dunno, a couple minutes. She just left-" He said as I tossed my papers on my desk and ran out of my office.

I didn't bother with the elevator, and instead opted for taking the stairs two at a time.

I burst into the lobby and ran out the front door, looking in every direction. My eyes catching onto every person with brown hair. But none of them matched the image of her that would be permanently in my mind.

I heard a breathless Rosalie come up behind me and say, "She's here?"

I took one last look over the mass amount of people bustling down the busy Chicago streets before turning around and walking past Rosalie.

"Not anymore."

* * *

**A/N: Alright, so I know that wasn't the most exciting chapter; but I needed to get some things in there before more action can come. Which it will. Anyways, let me know what you think. And remember, reviews make me smile :P**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT **

**BPOV**

I opened my eyes and looked at the ceiling above me. I let out a sigh.

I could hear no sound.

My house echoed in silence. If I strained my ears hard enough, I could just make out the ticking of the clock I had out the door and down the hall. But that was it.

For a brief moment I closed my eyes and let my mind wander to what it would be like waking up as someone normal did. There would be people talking, a TV playing the morning news, the sound of a coffee maker brewing, perhaps even music.

Then I reopened my eyes and the silence seeped back in.

I got up before I could dwell any longer on what could have been.

I decided to clear my mind, the best way I could think to do that was to go to the book store. I already had an impressive collection of books at home, but I still enjoyed getting new ones.

It didn't take me long and soon I was pushing open the door to my favorite local bookstore.

The guy working the counter gave me a friendly smile in greeting, and then went back to reading the book that had captivated his attention.

I walked through the aisles, letting my fingers traced across the spines of the books as I passed them, smiling at the familiarity.

I stopped my finger on the spine of a book that had piqued my curiosity.

I looked closer and read the title. It said:

'The History of the FBI'

I shrugged to myself, '_this should be good.'_

I pulled the book off the shelf and sat down on the floor with it in my lap, immediately letting myself be absorbed into its pages.

* * *

**EPOV**

I drummed my fingers on the desk as I absentmindedly looked through my email on my computer.

There were a million thoughts on my mind and I was having trouble organizing them all.

How did she get in here?

What did she do while she was in here?

Why did she come into my office?

There were so many questions and, so far, no answers.

There was a light knock on my door, followed by Rosalie poking her head in.

I waved her in and she pulled herself through the rest of the way.

She sat down in one of the chairs opposite me on the other side of my desk.

"How can I help you Ms. Hale?" I said politely, though still slightly bitter about the fact that I was being forced to work with someone, even if they were just from the psychology department.

"I've been looking over the case." She said, holding up a folder for me to see, "And I must say, this is definitely going to be an interesting one."

"How so?" I asked.

"Well, for starters, she's smart and crafty. And she knows it." She said, a trace of a smile on her lips.

I leaned forward a little more, intrigued.

"She leaves her calling card every time; she would only do that unless she was absolutely sure that she wouldn't get caught. And she's right. She's cocky as hell about it too, the way she taunts you." She said, a comical smile on her lips as she leaned back in her chair.

I absorbed all this information; thinking about the fact that Scarlet still had my badge, but returned my car. I had put in a request for a new badge, but it was still going to take a few days.

"I think she's so interested in you because you're the closest person to catching her. Chances are she's just as curious about you as you are about her.

Think about it; she didn't have to show you who she was, but did anyways. She's never done that. She may even have some respect for you." She got a comical look on her face, "Well, either that or she likes you."

With that said, she got up and left my office; leaving me to think about everything she told me.

I decided that the best thing for me to do now would be to find some way to identify her. Now that I knew what she looks like, there was a better chance of me finding her.

I decided to head back to the coffee shop where I had sat with her, maybe she had come back. I doubted it, but it was worth a shot.

* * *

The bell chimed as I pushed open the door and the aroma of coffee beans assaulted me immediately. I breathed deeply; wondering if it would be wrong of me to grab a cup of coffee while still on the job.

"Hey Edward." Mike greeted me from the other side of the counter.

"Hey Mike." I greeted back, stepping up to the counter.

"Are you here for coffee or official business?" He asked with a smile as he readied another customer's latte.

"Both actually." I said.

"Alright, what can I get you while you do your job? The usual?" He said, grabbing a cup after I nodded at him.

After he got started on my drink, I said, "So has she come in at all since the last time I saw you?"

"Who?" He asked, glancing up at me before going back to the drink.

"The girl I had coffee with a few weeks ago." I said, trying to keep him focused.

"Oh!" He said, the light bulb going off in his head, "You mean your partner."

"No Mike. We've already gone over this. She's not my partner." I said exasperated, resisting the impulse to run a hand over my forehead in exhaustion.

"Oh, right right. So…is she your girlfriend then?" He asked, handing me my drink.

"No Mike. It has to do with work; we just need to find out where she is. Have you seen her?" I asked, trying to keep the question simple.

"Nope." He said popping the 'p'. After a few silent moments he said, "So…does that mean she's available?"

I ignored him and handed over a five dollar bill and told him to keep the change.

With my coffee in hand, I decided that this was a dead end and that I had gotten as much information as I was going to.

As I was walking out the door I felt my phone buzzing in my pocket. I switched my coffee to my other hand so that I could reach into the inner pocket of my jacket and pull it out.

I put it up to my ear, "Agent Cullen."

"Hey, they wanted me to call you." A voice that I recognized as Jasper's said.

"About what?" I asked, attempting to hold my phone up with my shoulder as I tried to unlock my car without spilling my coffee.

"The tech guys found out the reason your thief was here yesterday, there was a hack. They found out where it came from and were able to pinpoint what they were after." He said.

"What was it?" I asked, my attention piqued.

"I don't know, they haven't given me specifics. But, you better get over here and talk to them." He said.

"I'll be there in a few minutes." I said, snapping my phone shut and starting my car.

* * *

**BPOV**

I finished up at the book store and decided to walk around downtown.

Being practically wintertime, there were lights in the windows and everyone was hustling and bustling from one store to the next.

There were piles of snow on the sides of the road from where it had been cleared for the cars, and there was a light layer of ice on the sidewalk, so I treaded carefully.

My motorcycle was parked a few blocks away; I let my feet carry me on their own accord, not really paying attention to where I was going, but not really caring anyways.

Before I knew it, I was standing across the street from the FBI Building, staring at the cop cars that were coming and going.

The fact that one of their most wanted criminals was standing fifty feet away, yet they were ignorant of the opportunity was still amusing to me.

My amusement and curiosity grew when a very familiar, silver Lincoln parked in one of the spots on the street in front of the building and Agent Cullen himself got out.

I stood and watched, captivated being the closest word to describe my emotions.

* * *

**EPOV**

I got out of my Lincoln, being careful as to not get hit by passing cars.

I began walking up the steps towards the entrance when I felt a tingling on the back of my neck.

The sense of being watched was something that a Federal Agent developed with time. But even I had been working for the FBI long enough to recognize the feeling.

I placed my palm on the back of my neck to cover the tingling sensation and slowly turned to look behind me.

I couldn't hold back my gasp.

It was her.

Scarlet.

My first instinct was to start yelling and pointing, but I hesitated, and soon the feeling passed when I realized she would be long gone even before I opened my mouth.

She was staring right at me, she knew I saw her, but she didn't move an inch.

Our eyes were connected for probably no more than a few seconds, but it felt like hours.

I blinked and the connection was gone.

Even from where I was standing, I could see the slight pull in her lips as she sent me a smile that was almost a smirk.

A moving truck drove by, blocking my view of her.

When it passed and my vision was restored of the opposite sidewalk, she was no longer there.

Practically disappearing into thin air.

I looked around but couldn't spot her anywhere, not that I really expected to.

After a few minutes of looking, I gave up and went inside, reminding myself that I was here for a reason.

I rode in the elevator up to the right floor and stepped out.

The entire office was in a flurry of activity. Needless to say, some people were a little upset about the fact that someone was able to get in here and hack our system directly.

Most, if not all, of our department's energy went into tracking down the breach today.

Jasper caught sight of me and quickly jogged over to lead me to wherever the techs where that had figured this whole thing out.

They were in one of the conference rooms leaning over the table, staring at their computer screens intensely. There were about six of them; each of them looked up when I opened the door.

"Is this him?" The one at the head of the table asked.

Jasper nodded.

He stood up and held out his hand. "I'm Eric, Eric Yorkie."

"Agent Cullen." I responded, shaking his hand.

"So we finally detected the breach that happened yesterday. It came from the secure mainframe room that's on this level. Somehow they hacked through our firewall and managed to delete some files." He said.

"Which ones?" I asked, looking over his shoulder at the computer even though I couldn't make sense of the code that was one it.

"We don't know." He said, sounding bitter. "All we can tell is that they've been wiped from the system."

"Yeah, and whoever they are, they did a hell of a job." Said another one a few chairs down.

My gaze looked to him; "What makes you say that?"

"Well, not only did they wipe the files, but the only trace we could find of them is this." He said, gesturing to the computer in front of him.

I leaned in closer and watched the screen of the computer.

He pulled up a folder where deleted files went, just in case they were erased by accident.

"Our computer traced a few files going through here at the same time of the hack, before they too were deleted." He said, turning away from the computer and looking at me.

"So, what you're saying is that when they deleted the files, the files went here first but then they deleted those too?" I asked and he nodded.

"How could they delete the files in the first place, don't you need an access code?" I asked.

He shrugged his shoulders. "They got past it somehow."

"Whoever this guy is, they're good. I mean, really good. Like, they have training and resources that I can't even begin to dream of." He said, bitterness seeping into his tone.

"Does that sound like anyone you know?" Another one of the techs asked me.

"The really good part, definitely. But not so much the computer part. The person I have in mind is pretty good with computers, but from what you guys are telling me, this is really high end." I said.

The ability to get in here sounded exactly like Scarlet. But the computer skills seemed beyond even her capabilities. Which meant that she brought someone in with her…

"Thanks guys." I said absentmindedly as I left the conference room.

Jasper caught up with me just as I reached my office.

"Hey, what'd you find out?" He asked.

"I think Scarlet might have hired someone to hack the system for her. I'm going to go around to a few of the spots where I think she may have picked someone up. There aren't many places where you can hire a criminal with computer skills of that level. Who knows, maybe I'll manage to get a name or something." I told him as I grabbed my coat off the back of my chair and grabbed my keys off the desk.

"Good luck." He said laughing, obviously not wanting to stand in my way when I was in such an active mood.

"Thanks." I said, rushing past him and out the door, wanting to seize the opportunity while I still had it.

* * *

**BPOV**

I watched with curiosity as Agent Cullen rushed out of the FBI building and got in his car. Something had obviously caught his attention.

So subsequently, it had caught mine.

I got on my motorcycle and pulled onto the road a few car spaces behind him.

I had my helmet on with a face shield, so even if he were to look in the rearview mirror, he wouldn't recognize me.

I trailed him for a few miles until he took one of the side streets to the highway and got on going south.

'_Where is he going?'_ I thought to myself. Ever since I had Seth retrieve all the files on Agent Edward Cullen, I had found out a lot about him.

I knew for a fact that he lived in an apartment north of downtown, completely in the opposite direction.

His file had listed no other cases other than mine, which meant that wherever he was going had to do with something I did.

When he took the Glenwood exit, I followed at a distance and tried to run different places in this area that I had been to, but nothing came up.

He started going down less busy streets so I had to hang back further to reduce the risk of being spotted.

I stopped a few blocks away when I saw him park his car, only creeping up once he got out and walked towards a building I didn't recognize.

I drove by but didn't stop, not wanting anyone to spot me.

I pulled around the closest corner and watched, just to see if anything was going to happen.

About twenty minutes later he came out with a disappointed look on his face and got in his car, driving off once again.

Even more confused and interested, I followed him once again, keeping as close as I dared.

* * *

**EPOV**

As I was driving I got the same prickling feeling on the back of my neck.

I started looking in my rearview mirror more often, and could have sworn that I saw the same motorcycle that I saw earlier.

I thought I must have been seeing things, but checked my mirrors more often regardless.

I still had a few stops to go before I headed back; I didn't have any luck so far, but hopefully one of the next places would be worthwhile.

* * *

**BPOV**

This time after getting back on the highway, he went back north.

I thought he was heading back to the bureau, but he took an exit only a few minutes after getting on the highway.

Yet again, I followed him to another building I didn't recognize and watched as he entered and came out twenty minutes later, disappointed.

'_What is he doing?'_ My curiosity was ruling my actions, and I decided to keep following him.

At one point I saw his eyes flicker up in the rearview mirror, I was sure that I had been made and that he had recognized my motorcycle, but he kept driving.

So I kept following.

Three more times he went to buildings I didn't recognize and went in. I still had no idea what he was doing and I was longing to find out.

The sun was starting to set when he got back on the highway once again and started heading north towards the city.

Along with the sun, the temperature was also dropping.

This was a reminder to me about the fact that I was riding a motorcycle.

It's dangerous to ride a motorcycle on ice, unless you know what you're doing.

If you weren't careful, your wheels could slip out from under you and send you flying.

Lucky for me, I knew what I was doing.

The street lights flickered on as the sun finally disappeared and darkness shrouded the city.

I drove slightly slower because it was harder to see the patches of ice on the street and avoid them, but I still managed to keep Agent Cullen in view.

This time, when he took an exit off the highway, I recognized it.

'_This can't be good.'_ I thought, as I followed him down a familiar street.

He was beginning to get into an area of the city that was, for lack of a better word, criminal.

I knew this, because this was where I did a lot of my sales and got in touch with a lot of my contacts.

It was much more alive here than at any of the other spots he had been to. This was more similar to the main downtown area where the bureau was but there were no holiday shoppers.

Most of the people that were around here were either lost tourists or criminals going to hang out at one of the lounges that doubled as a poker room for high end criminals.

I wasn't the only one that did business in this area, so naturally the FBI knew all about this area.

'_He must be looking for one of my connections.'_ I thought, and then it clicked.

He was after Seth. Seth's talents were usually found in someone who graduated MIT and works for the pentagon, not in a criminal.

Agent Cullen must have realized that someone like that would be easily noticeable in the criminal world since talent like that was so uncommon.

And by finding Seth, he would ultimately find me.

I watched as he pulled his car into a parking garage, but I didn't follow him in. Instead I waited on the street a block over and waited for him to walk out.

While I was waiting it started to snow and I'm sure temperatures were dropping below freezing.

I could practically see the water on the streets freezing into ice.

I finally saw him exit the parking garage and start walking down the side of the street.

I didn't know what he was planning on doing; people around here weren't just going to let an FBI agent in.

I decided to follow slowly.

There was hardly anyone walking the street, choosing to drive instead and keep warm, making it easy to keep track of him.

I watched in amusement and curiosity as he got turned away from most of the places.

His entire demeanor screamed 'cop' and I'm sure a lot of the people working the doors were trained to keep an eye out for them.

The people watching the door where always in charge of guarding the secrets that were behind the doors, whether they were illegal poker games or something else.

I watched him walk further and further down the block; he seemed to know exactly which buildings were criminal hangouts and which were not because he didn't waste any time knocking on pointless doors.

I was curious to know what he could possibly be saying to the people watching the door, it wasn't like he could offer them anything.

We were quite a few blocks away from the parking garage that he had initially started at. I was both amused and impressed with his relentlessness. Most people would have given up by now.

I chuckled once again when one of the bars that was often used as a place to exchange items on the black market, turned him away. Not even letting him get a word out. Since he had no warrant, he had no choice but to walk away. I shook my head in amusement, sure that he would give up now.

My smile disappeared though when he turned the corner.

Whether he knew it or not, he was heading into dangerous territory.

The place he was trying to get into was a place even I avoided when I could.

They weren't criminals you liked to work with unless you had no other choice.

And they wouldn't care if he was a cop or not. If he tried to get past them, it wasn't going to end well.

I waited a few moments, just to see if he would come around the corner again, hoping that they had simply turned him away.

When he didn't reappear I knew I had no choice.

I quickly accelerated and rode around the corner.

* * *

**EPOV**

"Listen, I don't see why we have to have a problem here." I told them, my hand automatically reaching for my holster.

"Don't even think about it." One of the guys said, pulling out his own gun and directing it at me.

I let my hands fall back to my sides.

"Listen, I'm a Federal Agent; I just want to go in and maybe have a talk with your boss." I told them, backing up an inch.

"Federal Agent my ass. You just look like a cop to me." The one not holding the gun said.

I started reaching into my inner pocket to pull out my badge, but stopped my movements once I remembered that my badge was still not there.

'_Damn it, Scarlet!'_

"Listen, why don't I just go back and we can all pretend none of this even happened." I said, taking a few slow steps black towards the main street.

The one without the gun whispered something to the other, I took another step back.

The one holding the gun noticed this and raised it a little, halting me in my movements.

"On second thought." He said, "Why don't you come with us. I'm sure there are a few people inside who wouldn't mind meeting you."

His smile made an uncomfortable tingle go up my spine. I was running out of options.

I could run.

But they'd probably shoot me.

I could try to pull out my own gun.

But they'd probably shoot me.

I could go with them.

But someone would definitely shoot me.

All of the sudden I was starting to regret checking out this last place.

Apparently they had no problem with killing a cop.

I was about to go with my first choice when a motorcycle sped around the corner, nearly hitting me. It was the same motorcycle that I had seen earlier.

"Get on." Said the owner of the motorcycle.

Their helmet had a black face mask, so I couldn't see who they were. But I wasn't about to let this opportunity go to waste.

I swung my leg over quickly.

I scrambled to grab onto something once the driver accelerated at an alarming rate, I eventually settled for holding onto the driver in front of me.

There was a commotion of some sort behind us, but I didn't look back.

The driver pulled onto the main street, going at speeds that would be considered a criminal offense.

They wove through cars, missing them by inches.

They had obviously had some practice on a motorcycle by the way they were just narrowly avoiding ice patches on the road.

I nearly yelled out a few times when I spotted large patched of ice, only to have the person turn the motorcycle at the last second and avoid it. I gripped tighter to avoid falling off.

Adrenaline was pumping through my system, keeping my eyes wide open to all the cars and buildings flying by.

We had gone for a few blocks at the same insane speed; I saw a patch of ice up ahead, my eyes widened when the driver didn't start turning away from it.

Instead, they rode right over it; I could immediately feel the instability of the motorcycle.

Then, much to my horror, the insane driver leaned to one side and made a hundred and eighty degree turn on the ice. If course because I had not been expecting it, and had not held on, I went flying in the direction that we had been going before they made the insane turn.

I landed in one of the piles of snow on the side of the road that was left over when they cleared the streets.

I propped myself and saw the motorcyclist speeding around the corner.

I turned my head around and saw that I was in front of the parking garage that I had originally left my car in.

'_Well, at least Rosalie will be amused by the situation.'_ I thought, picking myself and dusting the snow off of my pants.

* * *

**A/N: Alright, so let me know what you think. Unfortunately, I am leaving soon to spend the holidays away from home and I cannot bring my computer with me, meaning that this will be the last chapter for a couple weeks. However, if I get a lot of reviews, I may be motivated enough to find some way to post another chapter while I'm gone. And trust me, I'm really excited about the next one, it's going to be good. :P**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT (There is some Burn Notice to give credit too as well) **

**EPOV**

The sound of papers rustling was the only noise in the entire office as I leafed through the large stack on my desk.

I rubbed my eyes once again , trying to get some feeling into them after staring at paperwork for the last five or six hours.

I glanced at the clock sitting on the desk, it only read seven thirty but it felt much later.

Most people in the office had gone home; the only ones left were agents like me who had no outside life because they could never leave a job unfinished.

There was a light knock on my door followed by Rosalie stepping inside.

She noticed my ragged, worn-out look and frowned in disapproval. It was a while ago that I told her about the motorcycle incident. She spent about a day calling me an idiot for even going there, then she spent the rest of her time psychologically analyzing every detail about the incident she could get out of me. She couldn't understand why, if it was Scarlet, that she would save me in the first place. It went against every profile that Rose has done on her. I could tell that it frustrated her, so I tried not to bring it up often.

"Are you still looking through those papers? You were doing the exact same thing when I last saw you. Which was…" She glanced at her watch, "six hours ago."

I shrugged my shoulders, holding three pages in my left hand while looking at the one in my right.

"You know, some people- normal people- they have these things, now what are they called again…?" She tapped her chin for dramatic effect, "oh yeah, lives."

I glanced up at her again, a frown still apparent on her face.

It was then that I noticed her apparel, "Nice dress Rose, what's the occasion?" I asked before looking back at my papers.

That seemed to bring her out of her solemn mood. "Well, _I_ have a date tonight. It's a guy I met a few days ago here at the office. He's an agent too; I'm not sure which department he's in though."

"Uh-huh, that's great Rose." I responded, my attention already returning to the papers.

I heard her sigh, she seemed to have noticed that my attention had been diverted once again, "Alright, what is it? What are you working on that is so important that you're spending your Friday evening sitting in an office reading it when you could be out having a life?"

"Huh?" I asked, "Oh, these are just some records of Scarlet's older work. I'm trying to familiar myself with them, see if there's anything I missed."

I was briefly aware of Rose shaking her head and letting out another sigh and taking a seat in the chair across from me.

"Listen to me Edward." She said, when I didn't look up she placed a hand over the paper I was reading and pushed it down onto the desk. I let out a frustrated sigh, but looked up at her, giving her my attention.

"You're not going to find your answer in any of those files. You've been through them hundreds of times. Other agents have been through them hundreds of times. If you really want to catch her, you have to understand her.

You have to find the underlying story to her tale. You have to figure out why she's doing this. Most criminals do what they do out of more than just greed. If you find what it is that gives her the motivation, what makes her strive; then you can use that to catch her."

With that said, she got up out the chair and left my office without another word.

Her words immediately caused my mind to start rolling. I put all the papers down, leaned back in my chair with my fingers interlocked behind my head and started thinking.

* * *

**BPOV**

My back was pressed up against the concrete wall as the wind blew the few strands of hair that were loose from my ponytail across my face. I habitually tucked them behind me ear as I took a couple breaths and cleared my throat to get into character.

I readjusted the black tie that I had on over my white button up shirt and strode around the corner.

I knocked on the metal door that was the service entrance to the building. I heard keys jangling, followed by a lock turning and stepped quickly out of the way when the door swung open.

I started talking right away, "Hi. Yeah-um, I know I'm really really late and that I was supposed to be here like a half hour ago before all the guests started arriving and-and I was supposed to check in with someone but I got really lost because I haven't been here before and I wasn't sure where to go, please please I am so so sorry, I really need this job or I'm going to be evicted from my apartment if I don't make the payments soon." I said all in one breath, in a desperate voice with tears in my eyes.

The guy stared at me for a moment. I could tell when he caved by the shift in his eyes and when one of the creases in his forehead undid itself. He sighed and waved me in, taking pity on the poor hopeless girl in front of him.

"Thank you, thank you so much." I said, walking inside behind him.

"I'll go tell the event manager that you're here." He said walking in front of me.

The only change in my appearance that showed panic at his words was the slight dilation of my pupils.

My hand quickly reached out and grabbed his wrist to stop him from walking further.

"Um-maybe I should go tell them by myself instead. I want to take responsibility and I've already taken up so much of your time I don't want to cause you any more trouble then I already have. Besides, if things go south, I don't want to get you into trouble for trying to help me out." I said with large innocent eyes.

The lies came naturally to me, it was impulsive and necessary. Besides, it was natural for people to look out for themselves before other people.

I saw the same traces on his face when he believed the first lie that I told him at the door.

He took one last look at my sad, yet hopeful, face before sighing and nodding.

"Alright, she's down the hall, to the right and through the second door on the left. She's in the kitchen talking to the cooks so you may want to make it quick." He said, pointing in the direction he said to go.

I nodded enthusiastically and waited for him to go into a different door down the hall before letting out a small breath and dropping the needy, desperate look on my face, obtaining one of pure concentration.

I swept the loose hairs out of my eyes again and readjusted my bag on my shoulder.

I ignored his instructions and pulled up the image of the blueprints in my mind, remembering to take the third door on my right and slipped inside.

It was a large closet filled with cleaning supplies. I pulled on the chord to turn on the overhead light, illuminating all the brooms and dustpans.

I set my bag down in the corner, I would come back for it later, I just needed somewhere to stash it for a little while.

I cracked the door open and poked my head out; I waited until a few people walked by before slipping out and going into the door across the hall.

I walked in on utter chaos. This room was connected to the kitchen, there were at least two dozen other waiters dressed identically to me running back and forth with trays. They were going through a swinging door taking trays filled with glasses of champagne and food. Another door beside it swung the opposite way as waiters strode in bearing empty trays or ones with now-empty dishes.

I took all of this in quickly before jumping into the flow of people. Immediately, I was handed a tray of champagne and herded towards the door that was going out.

During events as big as these, the event manager hires so many waiters that I wouldn't need to worry about being recognized. As long as I looked the part and kept handing out drinks, they could care less.

As the door swung shut behind me I took in the sight in front of me. There were about a hundred people, all dressed in tuxedos and thousand dollar dresses, mingling with one another in what I assume could be considered as the great hall.

Above all the people lucky enough to be on the list for this party was a large banner hanging that read: Art Institute of Chicago's Fifty Sixth Annual Winter Fundraiser.

The Art Institute of Chicago was in fact the largest museum in the city, holding over three hundred thousand works of art. All of the people in this room toasting champagne would soon be writing checks to the museum worth an average man's yearly salary.

I wove in-between all the people who would pay anything to have their name painted on one of those exhibit walls, keeping my tray of champagne balanced with one hand as I sought out the man I was after.

I had to turn and look around for a few minutes before I spotted him, hanging out by the table of food. He was the museum manager in charge of organizing all of the exhibits and deciding which pieces of art will be on display when.

It took me a while to make my way through the crowd of people without completely spilling all the drinks on my tray and drawing attention to myself.

It would look suspicious if I just walked right up to him, so I took my time mingling among the people around him, offering glasses of champagne and taking empty ones away.

I put on my most charming smile for the guests, a look of innocence coating my features.

Once I estimated it had been a decent amount of time I took the few steps separating me and my target.

I took one of the full glasses off the tray and held it in my hand while the other one was supporting the tray, once I got in range I stumbled forward, keeping the tray upright but splashing the contents of the glass in my hand all over the front of the museum manager's coat.

"Oh my god! I am so sorry!" I said, panic prominent on my face.

He didn't seem angry so much as surprised. Though I'm sure anyone would be shocked to find themselves suddenly soaked with champagne.

Though, as he seemed to get over the initial shock, some anger seemed to leak into his emotions.

He glanced up at my frantic look angrily and quickly set his champagne glass down on the table before trying to wipe off the champagne with his hands.

"I am so sorry. Here, let me help." I said, setting down my tray and grabbing some napkins off the table.

I had attracted the attention of the surrounding people, some of whom were giving me looks of repugnance. I ignored them. Besides, I had more money than they could ever have in a lifetime.

I went forward with the napkins and started dabbing at the spill, still wearing my desperate for forgiveness look.

I put my other hand under the flap of coat and held it as if to get better leverage to wipe off the champagne.

I let out a frustrated sound that still came out with a hint of desperation, "This isn't working very well, let me just run into the kitchen really quick and come back with a towel. Again, I am really really sorry."

Without giving him a chance to answer I picked up my tray, put the wet napkins on them and rushed in the direction of the door I had originally come through.

Once I was sure I was out of his sight, I stopped walking and slid the keycard I had hidden in-between the napkins and pocketed it.

If someone had looked closely during the short encounter I just had with the museum manager, they would have seen my skilled fingers slip the keycard out of his inner pocket while I was lifting it up to get better access to the stain. He was too focused on trying to get the stain out, that he didn't notice me slide the keycard into the stack of napkins I was using to wipe up the champagne.

A woman clearing her throat brought me out of my train of thought; I returned my gaze to my surroundings to see a woman in a purple dress gesturing at the tray in my hands.

"Could I have a glass of champagne?" She asked; I looked at her weird, it took me a second to remember that I was still supposed to be a waiter.

"What?" I looked at the tray, then back at her, "Sure, knock yourself out." I told her, placing the whole tray in her hands and walking away.

By the time she regained her composure, I was already at the door to the waiter's room.

I pushed the door open, but got out the way of the waiter's coming in behind me to refill their trays.

Now was the time for haste.

Before anyone could order me to get out there and continue serving champagne to people with more money than they knew what to do with, I slipped back into the hall that originally led me to this room.

I passed a few waiters rushing back the way I came from, most likely hurrying to get back to the kitchens. This was a large event, if they didn't do their job, it wasn't likely they would get re-hired next year.

I checked over both shoulders, listening for any sound that could mean someone was watching.

After a few moments, when I was sure there was no one, I put my ear to the door in front of me, holding my breath and listening. Silence. I took the keycard out of my pocket and swiped it. I heard the mechanical lock switch and I turned the handle.

I decided to steal the access card from the museum manager tonight, rather than a few days ago for many reasons; one of which being the fact that if he had noticed it was gone before tonight, the museum would have freaked out and changed all the locks. Which would mean that the card I had stolen was then useless.

I slid inside before someone could spot me; even though I was sure that there was no one in the hall I wasn't going to blow this by being under-cautious.

I knew the room would be empty from the research I did a few weeks ago on the event. The museum reorganized their security for this event since it was such a big occasion and they needed to make sure that all the donators saw how good their security looked.

Therefore, a large majority of the security was manning the front entrance, stopping unwanted guests and looking intimidating.

The rest of the security that did not have the good luck to be chosen to attend the party outside, was rotating between the stations that the whole security would have ordinarily filled.

Thus, leading to this room being empty.

'_Well, at least for the next ten minutes' _I thought to myself as I stepped further inside the room.

The walls of the room were covered with five-foot tall computer hardrives

There was a single computer screen at the far side of the room, after spotting it I made my way over.

There was a small thumbprint screen that was used to gain access to the system; anybody who wasn't on the security team or belonged to the museum was denied.

The funny thing about screens used to scan fingerprints is that nine times out of ten the thing left on them is a fingerprint.

I leaned forward and breathed onto the screen, effectively fogging it up, revealing the print of an index finger.

I pulled on a glove and quickly pressed my finger onto the screen.

A smile graced my lips when a window popped up on the computer screen that said: Access Granted

Now was not the time to celebrate though. I immediately started clicking away at the computer.

Every single exhibit room in the museum has a box that is used to measure and record humidity in the room.

When the room gets too humid, the paintings get damaged. In order to prevent that from happening, they have vents that open up and pump in dryer air to regulate it.

In order to spread the dry air throughout the large exhibits quickly the air vents have to be big.

If someone were to trick the automatic humidity system into thinking that it was humid in one of the exhibits…

'_Got it!'_

With one final click I had what I needed.

I glanced at the watch on my wrist, it was time to leave. I didn't want to run into security when they came and checked in.

I retraced my steps on the computer, removing any trace that I was even there.

I gathered everything that I had brought in and headed for the door, flipping the light switch before opening the door a crack, making sure no one was in the hall, then slipped out.

Now onto step three.

I went back down the hall and entered the kitchen connected to the waiter's room, immediately feeling the temperature rise from all the open flames.

All of the cooks were too busy concentrating on their meals to notice some waitress passing through.

I pulled a sealable plastic bag out of my pocket and opened the large freezer door, immediately feeling counteractive effects to the open flames behind me. I started grabbing ice cubes, filling the bag two thirds of the way.

"What are you doing?" I looked up into the face of a chef who couldn't have been more then twenty-three years old.

I looked at the bag of ice in my hand, then back up to his face; already spinning a lie in my mind.

"One of the guests sprained an ankle. They told me to come here and get some ice out of the freezer for them." I said, the lie rolling off my tongue like second nature.

He gave me one last look of suspicion, but seemed to finally come to the conclusion that dealing with me was more trouble then he cared to involve himself with.

I sent him a dazzling smile and wove past him and out the door.

I had no time to waste as I rushed down the hall.

I dipped into the closet where I had first stored my stuff, grabbing the bag I had stashed in there.

I could hear the sound of dishes clanking and people talking as I rushed swiftly passed the entrance to both the kitchen and the main room once again.

I picked up my speed when I heard a door shut behind me, just as I rounded a corner.

I saw the marble staircase ahead of me that I needed to use; I took the steps two at a time.

If I hadn't already mapped out my course, I would have easily gotten lost in the many different floors and hallways.

'_Up two flights, turn left, down the hall, turn right around the corner.'_ I chanted in my head as I reached the top of the second stairwell.

This was the only path I could take that avoided security cameras. When I finally got to where I wanted to be, I was standing in front of an elevator that was only used by museum workers.

This security was a little tighter, but I was prepared.

I swiped the card that I had taken off the museum manager, then reached into my bag and pulled out a piece of paper.

Facial recognition systems are often used to replace human guards, since they don't sleep on the job and they can't be bribed. They have a big weakness though, computers can't tell the difference between a photocopy of a face and a real one.

I had gone online a few days ago and found the picture of the museum manager under their employee section and printed it out.

I held the photocopy in front of my face while it scanned.

I couldn't have used just any museum member's photo; part of the security system was that both the keycard and the facial scan had to match the same person.

I knew I succeeded when I heard a 'ding' followed by the elevator doors opening.

'_I am way too good at this.'_ I thought to myself as I stepped inside.

I didn't have to worry about security cameras inside the elevator, the facial scanner already tells them who's in the elevator, so another camera would be pointless.

As the elevator rose higher and higher I busied myself with pulling on my very familiar black gloves and pulled the tie loose from around my neck, it would just get in the way if I left it on.

Shaking myself loose, I didn't hesitate for a second when the thick metal doors reopened, this time on the top floor of the museum.

I strode out of the elevator into the silent hallway. The idea of getting caught that usually makes people think twice about what they're doing is one of things I relish about heists, it's thrilling yet terrifying at the same time and forces constant amounts of adrenaline to pour through your system.

'_Here we go.'_ I thought as stood facing the wall I needed.

I grabbed one of the ornate tables that were against the wall and pulled it over. After hoisting myself on top, I pulled a screwdriver out of my bag and set to work on the screws holding the metal screen for the air duct.

My fingers worked quickly and soon I had to catch the screen before it crashed on the ground.

I threw my bag in first, then put my arms in and hoisted myself up using pure arm strength.

The vent was about two feet wide and tall, but stretched far ahead; when I eventually managed to pull my entire body inside, the only thought that went through my head was, _'Thank god I'm not claustrophobic.'_

The gallery I was heading towards was in the northeast corner; I army crawled through vents, sliding and pushing my bag along with me. The system was like a maze of tunnels, leading off into many different directions.

This path I had also mapped out when I had first scouted the museum. One wrong turn could lead me to a gallery on the opposite side I wanted to be.

I knew I was in the right place when I felt air pushing from behind me, into the gallery that I wanted.

This was the same gallery that I had tricked the computer into thinking that it was overly humid.

I smiled from both relief and success when I got to the end of the tunnel I was in.

The opening of the vent was like the screen I had earlier climbed through. I reached into my bag and pulled out the carabineer which was attached to a rope. I latched the carabineer to one of the bars in the vent screen, then attached the other carabineer at the other end of the rope to the belt at my waist.

I took a second to go over exactly what I had to do; there was a time limit here, the vents only stay open so long as the gallery's humidity level remains high. I tricked the computer into thinking it was at the highest level it could be at without setting off alarms that would bring unwanted attention. The humidity level I set fell just beneath the line of heat that could be considered usual or coincidental, any higher and it would be obvious that something strange was happening.

With one last breath, I pushed at the screen with all my force, sending it flying open, but still latched at the top to the vent.

Without hesitation I grabbed onto the sides and pulled myself through, letting myself fall into the space above the gallery.

There was however more security I had to worry about in here. I only had about thirty seconds before the heat sensor picked up my body heat and the alarms started ringing.

The rope and catch that I was connected to I designed myself, complete with auto-brakes and a way to stop the rope from letting me go any further then I wanted it to.

This particular gallery was twenty feet high, at fifteen feet up from the floor were white screens that ran from wall to wall in five by three foot squares. These screens hid all the wires and vents from those viewing the gallery and makes everything more presentable; _'though I'm sure they didn't have this in mind when they thought about how it looks to the museum visitor.'_

Another use for the screens, it hides the camera wires that hand from them.

I twisted my body until I was hanging upside down, keeping myself in that position by holding the rope with my feet.

I reached into my bag which I had slung around my shoulder and pulled out the wire cutters.

I made short work of the camera wire, then released the catch on the rope. I started falling smoothly, catching myself quickly once again for a brief second so that I could furl one of the screens and get by.

The mental clock in my head told me I only had about thirteen seconds.

I released the catch, as the ground rushed closer and closer I returned my body to an upright position just in time to have my feet touch the ground softly.

I unclipped the carabineer and ran over to the other wall at the entrance to the gallery; I only had roughly six seconds.

I reached into my bag once again and pulled out the bag of ice. I opened the bag and pulled out a small piece of clay that I had nestled inside the ice after my trip to the kitchen.

I loosened it up with my fingers, then placed it on the sensor of the heat scanner in the last remaining second.

I released the breath I had been holding.

The ice had brought the temperature of the clay down to a level that, when placed over the sensor, masked any heat waves.

I preferred to use clay in situations like this, but if I was ever in a pinch, gum would probably work just as well.

The camera I had cut off left me able to roam the eastern side of the gallery, as long as I stayed over where I was, I wouldn't have to worry.

Here was another moment where hesitation was not an option.

This gallery was filled with Van Gogh from top to bottom; I didn't doddle though and turned to the one I wanted.

* * *

My first time, it took me close to twenty minutes to get a painting out of a frame. My record now was around eight minutes.

As I finished with the last corner, I glanced at my watch quickly.

'_Damn, nine minutes and sixteen seconds.'_

I pulled the tube shaped container that I had used so many times before and carefully placed the rolled up canvas inside.

Finally, after stringing the container over my back, I pulled the scarlet ribbon out of my pocket and tied it to the top of the empty frame hanging on the wall.

I wasted no time in returning to the rope hanging on the side of the room.

I re-attached the carabineer to my belt and took a strong grip on the rope.

I pressed the bottom of my feet against the wall of the gallery and, while hoisting up with my hands, I essentially walked up the walls of the gallery, past the screen and up to the air vent.

It took my remaining arm strength to grab onto the opening of the vent and climb inside, breathing heavily.

The air was blowing more lightly now, I didn't have much time until the air vents closed off altogether.

I used that as motivation to get my tired arms moving as I crawled back the way I came.

I finally got back to the beginning; I had only made one wrong turn, and had to backtrack after realizing my mistake.

I pulled myself through the gap, breathing in fresh air and relishing the non-compressing feeling that came with being out of the vent.

I pulled the tie out of my pocket, wiped the small amount of perspiration off my forehead before retying it around my neck, adjusting it until it was perfect.

I performed the same measures to get past the elevator's security once again. I spent my short trip in the elevator as time to make myself look presentable once again, also remembering to remove my gloves.

As soon as the doors dinged, I stepped out and rushed through the deserted halls until I started hearing noise.

In my haste, I nearly forgot to put the container holding the painting inside my bag, concealing it from view. I stuffed it inside and closed the zipper just as people came into my line of sight.

Still following my well thought out plan, I opened the door to the kitchen.

Yet again, my appearance there was ignored as the chefs were still cooking away, this time it seemed to be on bite sized desserts, as the evening was coming to a close.

I grabbed a garbage bag from the roll on one of the counters, opened it and put my bag inside.

I went over to one of the cooks who was leaning over the stove, stirring what looked like melted chocolate, and tapped him on the shoulder.

I almost laughed when it turned out to be the same cook that caught me taking ice out of the freezer earlier.

"Hi again. Listen, I'm supposed to be doing a trash run, but no one gave me the key to unlock the service door, could you…?" I trailed off, smiling at him sheepishly.

He rolled his eyes and let out an exasperated sigh, before walking over to one of the counters and opening a drawer.

He took a ring of keys out and handed them to me. "Just make sure to bring them back here when you're done." He said slowly, as if not expecting me to understand.

I nodded enthusiastically and took them from his outstretched hand.

"Thank you!" I said.

His response was to grumble something then return to his cooking.

I didn't stop once as I made my way toward the service entrance that I had originally come through.

I stopped short though when the guy that originally let me in came out of one of the doors and spotted me.

'_You have got to be kidding me.'_

"Where you headed?" He asked as I walked by him.

I turned and started walking backwards, "Oh, just doing another trash run. Who knew these people could eat so much." I said, slapping a smile onto my face.

He chuckled, "Do you need me to unlock the door for you?"

I turned back around, "No thanks! I got it!" I called over my shoulder, jingling the keys in the hand that wasn't holding the trash bag.

I heard a faint chuckle as he left my hearing range.

I picked up my speed to avoid any more interruptions.

I sighed in success when I turned the key in the lock and stepped out into the cold air.

I pulled my bag out of the trash bag and slung it over my shoulder.

Soon they would find the vacant spot on their wall, and by tomorrow morning the headlines would read: Scarlet Thief Strikes Again!

But the thing I was looking forward to most about tomorrow: the fact that Agent Cullen would be spending the entire day trying to figure out exactly how I did it.

* * *

**A/N: So I know it's felt like forever since I updated, sorry about that. I was out of town and did not have a computer. Actually, I was in Chicago (where this story takes place) and I went to this museum. So everything I wrote about the gallery with the cameras and humidity controllers was in fact accurate. This chapter took me a long long time to write, it's my longest chapter for this story yet, so I hoped you enjoyed it. I got a lot of reviews for the last chapter which was great, I'm glad you guys are enjoying the story. If you keep it up, I'll be inspired to not only write more, but also write more exciting chapters. :P**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT **

**EPOV**

I could feel the eyes of curious pedestrians, news reporters and cops as the sound of my feet echoed back at me off the marble steps.

The fast 'clicks' of high heeled shoes a few steps behind me alerted me to Rosalie's presence as she hurried to catch up to me.

" 'Morning." She said cheerfully as she stepped into line with me.

I grumbled something in response.

"Oooh, I see we are not happy this morning." She said, readjusting her clipboard under her arm.

I took a sip of my coffee as one of the cops opened the front glass door for me.

I nodded at him in thanks, then stepped inside.

I downed what remained of my coffee in one large gulp before tossing it into the garbage.

I took a moment to prepare myself before clearing my throat and raising my voice to be heard above the small crowd of people inside.

"Excuse me, I'm Agent Cullen; I'm going to be leading this investigation. If you could give me your full cooperation I would greatly appreciate it. I'm going to need to talk to the museum manager to start with, but I assure you that I will get to each of you eventually. So please stay close, be patient and we can get through this relatively quickly." I concluded with a smile, knowing that we were all going to be here for a long long time.

The groans that echoed through the main entrance made me long for the coffee that was now long gone.

They began mingling among one another except for one man who I assumed was the museum manager, he wasted no time in walking up to me and shaking my hand, which I noticed was trembling slightly.

"David Gillman." He said releasing my hand, "I'm the museum manager." I let my eyes look over his face, he looked rather pale.

"Alright, why don't we just get right to it then. When did you discover the painting was missing?" I asked, taking out the generic notepad that seems to come standard for agents and detectives.

"Well, our event last night went until around midnight, and then we had our usual nighttime security which is always a small group of guards; but I'm not in charge of security, I'm only supposed to deal with the gallery set ups." He said, dabbing at his forehead with a handkerchief.

'_It is way too early for this.'_

"Alright, let me ask again. What time did you discover that the painting was missing?" I asked, making a point of clicking my pen.

"Oh, right, my apologies. I came in around seven, as usual, to make sure everything was running smoothly; and I found it when I was taking my usual walk through the galleries." He said, distress evident in his voice.

I could tell that we weren't going to get anywhere until he calmed down, "Why don't I go see the scene, then I'll come back and talk to you again when you've had a chance to calm down." I said, motioning to one of the marble benches near the front doors.

He nodded shakily and headed for them.

I let out a large sigh and turned to look at Rosalie.

Her face was even brighter now that we were going to see the actual crime scene.

"Come on, let's go." She said, tugging on my arm.

"Are you sure." I said, messing with her, "Because I'm sure the other people here are plenty interesting to talk to." I joked.

She sent me a dark look over her shoulder that made me chuckle.

Rather than feel her wrath, I followed a few steps behind.

We walked across the main hall, up the marble steps to another hall where tickets are usually taken and the elevators that lead up to different floors for different exhibits.

"Are these the only elevators?" Rosalie asked, looking at the camera in the top-right corner.

I chuckled, immediately knowing exactly what she was thinking.

"Unfortunately for us, they are not. I assure you, Scarlet probably knows every single crevice of this place. If there is an elevator without a camera, she used it."

I returned my gaze to the metal doors as we rose higher and higher, but I could still feel her looking at me.

"What?" I asked, turning to her once again.

She smiled, "So, it's Scarlet now? Since when did you stop calling her The Scarlet Thief?"

I took a moment to toss the question around in my head, when I realized that I really didn't have an answer, I shrugged. "I don't know, maybe it's just easier to say. The Scarlet Thief is kind of a tongue twister." I said, stepping through the metal doors as they cranked open.

"Mmm-hmm…sure." I heard from behind me.

One of the security guards pointed me towards the correct gallery, and soon I was lifting the crime scene tape over my head and waiting for Rosalie to slip under as well before I released it.

"Alright, what've we got?!" I let my voice carry through the gallery; making the heads of CSU workers look up from whatever they were doing and glance at me. **(A/N: CSU stands for Crime Scene Unit, like CSI)**

"Hey Edward." One of them, who I recognized as Cody, waved me over. I walked over to where he stood in front of an empty frame on the wall, dusting anything with a surface for fingerprints.

"Is there anything?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.

"I've been working her crime scenes long enough now. Trust me, when I find a fingerprint or some other incriminating evidence, you'll know." He said, I picked up a hint of bitterness.

"So…that's a no?" I asked, holding back a smile.

Instead of an answer, I received a look similar to the one Rosalie had given me earlier.

I held up my hands in mock defense, "Sorry, just have to make sure."He returned to his dusting.

I took a few steps back to get a better look.

The frame was a rich golden color with intricate flowering along the rim. To the left of it was a small plaque that read:

Vincent Van Gogh

Dutch, 1853-1890

The Poet's Garden, 1888

My eyes trailed back to the empty frame, this time drifting to the top where a piece of silk ribbon hung, the color was in-between a rich dark purple, and the dark red of an open flame.

"How much was it worth?" I asked without taking my eyes off the ribbon.

"Close to a million, if not more" Cody said, carefully untying the ribbon with delicate precision using his latex gloves.

"That doesn't make any sense." Rosalie said from where she stood beside me.

I turned my head and raised an eyebrow, gesturing her to explain.

"This painting is worth around a million dollars, look around." I did as she instructed, glancing over the other paintings, "I can count at least five other paintings in here that would fetch for at least ten times as much if not more on the black market."

"That's the funny thing about Scarlet; she never does what you expect." I said.

"Any why do you think that is?" Rosalie asked, she probably meant for the question to be rhetorical, but I decided to answer anyways.

"Because she's different. It's like you said," I turned to her, "she has an ulterior motive for her heists. Most criminals take the most valuable item and run. Scarlet though…she thinks before she moves, calculates each step and prepares for any anything that could pose as a challenge. It's almost like a game of chess to her; someone who's mastered the game can think fifteen moves ahead, predicting and adapting. She calculates each second of her crime, canceling out the variable of surprise, slipping through the tiniest cracks and ultimately…disappearing into thin air." I concluded. The room was silent; I hadn't realized that my audience had grown while I was talking.

"Aren't I supposed to be the criminal psychologist?" Rosalie asked, obviously impressed by my dissection of Scarlet's psyche.

"I'm just saying that there is a very real and specific reason that she took that painting. But I'm also saying that, no matter how much research we do on it including who owns it, who put it up, who did the frame, how much it's actually worth, why it's in this gallery, et cetera, et cetera, we will never find out what that specific reason is. Scarlet is the only one who knows, and it's not likely that she's going to give us the one detail that would give us a chance, even a small one, at catching her." I realized that I was staring at the piece of silk again; I tore my eyes away and looked at Rosalie.

Her brow was furrowed; her mind was processing my words. "What about known associates, perhaps a partner? Maybe they would know…" But I was already shaking my head at her.

"She works alone, no exceptions." I said, I had gathered that much in my time on the case.

"You know, now that I think about it. The more you describe talk about her, the more I'm noticing that you could easily be talking about yourself." She said, a smirk in her tone.

I sent her a look to which she shrugged and said, "Just sayin'. You two seem to have a lot in common."

I decided to change the topic before Rosalie started psycho analyzing me.

"Have we found out her point of entry and how she got past the securities?" I asked to whoever could answer.

"What do you mean?" Rosalie asked, "There's only one way in." She pointed to the door we entered through.

I chuckled, "Trust me, she found another way other then the door."

A different CSU personnel joined us and said, "Your right, the locks on the gallery doors are electric, there's no record of the doors opening until a little after seven this morning when the manager came through."

"What security mechanisms are in the room?" I asked.

"Well, electro-magnetic lock on the door that is on a timer. An alarm goes off if they're opened before seven o'clock; there are two-security cameras, and…a heat scanner." He said.

"Alright, let's start with the cameras. How did she deal with that?" I asked, my gaze looking up, searching for them.

"Only one of them points in the direction of the painting," He said, pointing at what looked like one of the lights hanging from the ceiling. I squinted my eyes and could just make out a lens. "A pair of wire cutters took care of that."

"Alright. And you said there was a heat sensor, correct?" He nodded and pointed to the wall near the gallery entrance. I walked over and saw the piece of clay that was still covering the sensor. _'Well, if something works the first time…'_

This was the third time I'd seen her use this method to get past a heat sensor.

"What is it?" Rosalie asked, taking a closer look.

"It's just some simple modeling clay. She uses it to block heat waves from being detected." I smiled at the familiarity.

I stepped back again; I could almost see Scarlet covering the sensor, then making her way over to the painting.

The image faded away when Rosalie spoke, "That still doesn't explain how she got inside without setting off the door alarms."

I thought for a second, then smiled. "I'm just going to go out on a limb here and assume that there is no footage on the camera of her before she cut the wire." The CSU guy nodded, "And there's no way she could have avoided the cameras if she came through the door." He nodded again.

"Which only leaves…" I let my gaze look up, my smile stretched a little more.

Rosalie looked at me before following my gaze. "You don't mean…" I nodded, she did a double-take, "You have got to be kidding me. How the hell could she have gotten up there?"

I chuckled, "That's what we're here to find out."

* * *

**BPOV**

I was lying on my back on my couch, using my arm as a pillow, staring at the skylight high above me.

It was pouring. The individual drops were hitting the glass with tremendous force, creating the only noise in the room.

My mind was wandering, an activity that was normal for most, but could be potentially dangerous for me.

Different images of a forest covered in green, a cold ocean front, and a house flashed across my mind rapidly, just showing each image for less than a second, not dwelling on any individual one.

When I felt like I was diving too deep into memories that are best left unperturbed, I resurfaced.

"Scarlet!"

I jumped up, my fists raised.

I lowered them an inch when I saw it was just Alice.

Her eyes were wide and her palms were held up, "Whoa! It's just me, just wanted to let you know that I'm all done, your good to go."

"Oh…sorry." I lowered my fists the remainder of the way and relaxed from my rigid posture, "You shouldn't do that." I said, turning away to look out the window.

"I'll keep that in mind…" She said, following my gaze.

"What were you thinking about anyways? I must have called your name a dozen times." She asked.

"Nothing important..." My voice trailed off.

She decided not to pry, "Alright, well like I said, the painting is fine; so I'm going to head out." She gestured over her shoulder with her thumb.

It took a moment for my mind to process what she said.

"Hey," I said, stopping her as she started to turn away, "I'm probably going to go out for a drink later tonight, you wanna come?"

"Seriously?" She asked, just as surprised as I was; I don't usually do much with her.

"Yeah." I shrugged.

"Sure." She said smiling, but still with a look of surprise, "I'll come back eight-ish?"

I nodded.

"Great! I guess I'll see you then." She said enthusiastically.

"Mmmhmm," I responded, noticing that the rain had stopped.

I was briefly aware of the door shutting; my mind was already beginning to wander again.

* * *

**EPOV**

"So, what exactly is up there? All I can see is screens." I asked, letting my eyes wander over the entire ceiling.

"Mainly the wires to the cameras, and the humidity unit." Said the museum security manager, who had joined us from downstairs. "But it's blocked off almost ninety-percent of the time."

"How big is it?" I asked.

"Excuse me?" He asked.

"How big is the humidity unit?" I asked, tearing my gaze away from the ceiling to look at him.

He looked at me, obviously thinking that I was joking, when my facial expression told him I was not he hurriedly flipped through the papers on his clipboard and said, "It's about two feet wide and just as tall. We use it to pump in dry air when the gallery gets to humid. But, like I said, it's closed off ninety percent of the time."

"What are you thinking Edward?" Rosalie asked.

"I'm thinking…that I found how she got in here." I said, walking closer to the wall.

"Where exactly is the humidity unit above us?" I asked him.

He pointed up a few feet over.

I stood in front of the wall and looked up. "Cody, can you come here for a sec?"

"What's up?" He asked, joining me in looking up.

"Can you use your fingerprint duster on this wall? Right here." I asked, pointing to a spot roughly three feet off the ground.

"Sure." He said, shrugging; not quite understanding why, but willing to go along with it.

I watched with bated breath as he brushed on the black powder. Rosalie came to stand next to me, joining me in staring at the spot on the wall.

A smile stretched on my face, when a perfect shoeprint appeared where he dusted.

Rosalie turned her head to look at me, giving me a look that blatantly asked how the hell I knew that was there, and how the hell it got there.

My eyes wandered up again.

"Are you telling me she walked up the walls?" She asked in amazement.

"Yes." Was my simple answer, as I rose back up to my usual height.

I turned to the head of security, "How many elevators do you have without cameras?"

"Just two. One takes art down to the restoration rooms and the other is for museum personnel, it's used to transfer art from each level, we use it when we reorganize galleries." He said.

"The second one. Can you show me where it is on this level?" I asked, I was now on a roll.

He nodded and gestured for me to follow him; immediately Rosalie and I were on his heels.

We went down a few hallways, before he turned one corner and pointed to an elevator door.

'_Here we go.'_ I thought as I noticed a vent screen on the wall next to the elevator.

I pointed to it, "This is the point of entry."

I turned around to find both of their faces looking between me and the vent.

"Who the hell are we after? Spiderman!" Rosalie cried out.

I chuckled and looked closer at the screen, noticing scratches on the screws holding it in place, most likely from the screwdriver she used to undo them.

"Alright, so now that we have our point of entry; how did she get up here?" I said, talking more to myself then to the security manager.

I went over to the elevator, noticing a camera lens next to it.

"What is this?" I asked him.

"It's a facial recognition system. Very few people have access. Oh! And a keycard scanner." He said.

"So, how did she get past that?" Rosalie asked.

I took a closer look at the face scanner; the screen was flashing red, the computer was scanning my face and denying me access.

"I have no idea." I told her.

I would have to think about it more later; for now, I needed to look at a different aspect.

I turned to the security manager, "You said the vents were closed ninety percent of the time…"

He nodded.

"Then how could she have gotten through?" Rosalie said, finishing my thought for me.

I didn't let him answer; instead I asked a different question, "Is there a room that manages all this stuff? I assume the humidity is all regulated by computers?"

"Yeah, it's on our main floor, near the security room. I'll show you." He said, gesturing me to follow once again.

He held his face in front of the scanner then swiped a card, the screen flashed green and the doors opened.

A few seconds passed and soon we were exiting the elevator on the floor level.

We went down a small set of steps and around a few corners before the security manager unlocked a door and led us inside.

He strode over to the computer and started clicking away, Rosalie and I waited patiently until I heard the same words that someone always seems to say when Scarlet steals something, "But that's impossible."

"Yeah, it always is." I let out a sigh, "I'm going to go over to the camera room." I said, leaving him to grieve over whatever was left of his job.

I knocked on the correct door and waited for someone to open it from the inside since I didn't have the keycard.

As I entered I noticed the museum manager was inside, staring up at one of the many screens that showed security camera footage.

I cleared my throat to get their attention.

"I noticed that the elevator that the thief used needs a face scanner and a keycard to work, can you guys find out which keycard it was?" I asked one of the many security guards.

He nodded and began typing furiously at the computer.

"Here it is, the computer says that someone used their keycard at ten fifty-one last night. Give me a sec and I can find out who…" He clicked a few more times before I saw his movements freeze and his eyes darted to the museum manager who stood oblivious, still watching the screen.

"Oh god…" I said with a sigh when I understood.

"Sir," I said, tapping on the museum manager's shoulder, causing him to turn around.

"Did you use your access card to use the personnel elevator last night?" I asked.

"No, I was at the fundraiser all night." I gestured to the screen, he blanched.

"That is not me." He said, immediately defending himself. I was trying to think of some way that Scarlet could have done it, but with the facial scanner confirming that it was him in the elevator; it wasn't looking good for him. I had no doubt that Scarlet did it, but I was going to have to take him in anyways, it was protocol.

"I'm going to need you to come with me sir." I said, stepping toward him.

He backed up quickly, "No I assure you it wasn't me. My keycard is missing and I can prove I was at the event! We have footage!" He said, gesturing wildly at the screens behind him

I stopped, "Wait, you recorded the event?" I asked.

"Yes, last year there were some discrepancies, so we decided to put up camera's this year to avoid any lawsuits."

"When did you realize your card was missing?" I asked him urgently.

"Uhhh…" He tried to think quickly, "after the event, I thought I had misplaced it in one of my jackets when I changed midway through the event, my first jacket was stained by a waitress."

"Show me." I said, pointing to the screens.

He nodded at one of the security guards who pulled up a screen that showed a high up view of the event.

It was in fast forward for a while until they stopped it and the museum manager pointed at a scene.

I stepped closer and watched the scene go through quickly, I had to squint, but I could just make out someone stumbling and splashing champagne on who I assumed was the museum manager then helping him wipe it up.

"Can you play that back? And zoom in." I told the guy operating the feed.

He nodded and did as I said.

The view was much closer as we watched from behind the same waitress as she stumbled and splashed the champagne.

My eyes were following the waitress as she went forward and tried to clean the champagne off his jacket. We still couldn't see her face.

"Come on, come on." I said, silently begging her to turn around.

My heart was beating quickly in anticipation.

"What is she saying right there?" I asked the museum manager.

"She said that she was going to bring me a towel. Which she never actually did now that I think about it." He said.

I could now see a little bit of her face, but it wasn't enough.

"Come on, turn around just a little more." I begged.

I watched as she grabbed her tray; put the napkins on, and…

"Stop!" I said, effectively making the security guard press the pause button, freezing the scene in front of me.

"That's her." I said.

"Are you sure?" Rosalie asked quickly, coming up to stand next to me.

"I would know that face anywhere." I said, not taking my eyes off the screen.

It was the same brown hair, same deep brown eyes and the same smirk that covered her lips.

It was her.

We both stared at the screen in silence until Rosalie seemed to come to the same realization that I did.

"This is huge." Rosalie said in awe; she was the only one in the room who understood just how valuable that picture was.

"So, am I off the hook?" The museum manager asked, not realizing the gravity of the situation. The intensity of what we just uncovered.

"Yeah, you could say that." I said, staring at the face of The Scarlet Thief.

* * *

**BPOV**

I stepped into the bar and Alice followed a few steps behind me.

We walked over to the counter and took a seat on a couple of the stools.

She ordered a long island ice tea, I settled for a vodka tonic.

I tapped on the counter absentmindedly while we waited for our drinks.

I could talk to people when it was part of an act; but I rarely ever talked to people as myself.

"So…" Alice said, attempting to start a conversation.

"Yeah?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I've got a question that's been bugging me ever since we started working together." She started.

"Shoot." I said, gesturing for her to continue talking.

"Well… I was wondering why you chose to work with me specifically." She said, taking a sip of the drink that had just been placed on the counter.

"Hmmm. I did not see that coming." I said, expecting a question more along the lines of 'have you ever killed someone'

"Well." I started, thinking it over in my head, "I did my research." I took a sip of my drink. "I guess you could say that you fit all the credentials for the person I needed."

"How so?" She asked.

"Well, for starters, you're good at what you do. Really good. I needed the best. And second, not only are you book smart, your also street smart. You think things through to the fullest extent before making a decision, and you ultimately make the one that serves you best." I said

"Did you just call me shallow?" She asked with a small laugh.

"Not at all, I'm just saying that you look out for yourself first, then others. A shallow person wouldn't care about the latter." I said.

"So, how much do you know about me exactly?" She asked, curiosity in her voice.

"Well, like I said, I did my research. You went to Michigan State University where you majored in art history, you had a three point eight gpa throughout all four years, you took an internship at a gallery in New York before deciding to move out here and work at the museum, which is where I found you." I took a long sip of my drink, watching her over my glass.

She opened her mouth a few times, but in the end just decided to take a drink.

"Sorry." I said.

"About what? I'm the one that asked." She said, smiling again, but I could see in her eyes that she was still processing the information I gave her, deciding what to do with it.

I flagged down the bartender, "I think we're going to need another round." He nodded.

It was silent again for a few moments.

"So…" Alice said.

I prepared myself for another question.

She didn't disappoint, but yet again, it wasn't one that I was expecting.

"What's up with you and the FBI Agent?" She asked.

I choked on my drink a little and had to cough a few times. She laughed.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Don't give me that. You and I both know that you're practically stalking him." She said, laughing once again.

"I'm not stalking him. He's just…interesting." I said, circling the rim of my glass with my finger.

"Mmmhmm…sure." She said, smiling as she took a sip of her ice tea.

I avoided her gaze and looked around the room.

My eyes snapped back to a face I recognized.

"Hey, can you excuse me for a sec? There's someone over there that I need to talk to." I said to Alice, not really waiting for an answer as I slid off my stool.

I started walking across the room, weaving in-between people, stopping right in front of the table.

"Hello Seth, fancy seeing you here." I said, looking straight at him, he paled slightly.

"I was wondering if I could talk to you..." I trailed off; glancing at the two other guys he was sitting with.

He cleared his throat and said, "Guys, give us a moment." They obediently got up and left.

I took the seat across from him.

"What do you want Scarlet?" He asked, still a little on edge. Apparently he didn't like our last encounter where I made him come with me into the FBI building.

"What makes you think I want something? Maybe I just missed you and wanted to say hi." I said, giving him a smile.

"So…you don't need me to do something?" He asked, hope evident in his tone.

"Oh, well no, I still do." I said, still smiling.

He let out a sigh and put his head in his hands.

We still weren't even, and he knew it. But if he could get me what I needed, then I might be willing to consider letting him off the hook.

"Alright…what do you need?" He asked.

I smiled.

* * *

**EPOV**

I was back at the office now, sitting in my desk chair.

Rosalie was sitting in the chair across from me, holding a print out of the picture of Scarlet.

Neither of us had said anything in a while, we were still trying to absorb the enormity of what we had uncovered.

I had gotten dozens of handshakes and pats on the back from colleagues all afternoon. Director Aro had called me into his office to congratulate me.

Rosalie got a share of the glory as well, but she didn't seem to know what to do with it.

From the agents who hunted after the thief before me, I received mixed responses.

Some congratulated me greatly, understanding how difficult it must have been for me to get as far as I have.

Others…well, they envied me for being able to succeed where they failed. I tried not to let it get to me.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when the silence was broken.

"She is very pretty." Rosalie said.

I looked up at her, "Yeah…I suppose."

"What do you mean, 'you suppose', she's gorgeous. Pretty girls do not grow up to become thieves. They grow up to become lawyers and doctors. Not someone who ends up on the FBI's most wanted list." She said, looking back at the photo.

"So why do you think she did?" I asked.

She shrugged, "Could be any number of reasons, something could have happened to her that completely turned her life around. That would be the most likely."

She looked at the picture, as if the answer would somehow come to her if she stared at it hard enough.

"Anyways," She said, readjusting herself and putting the picture down on my desk, "I'm just saying, that when we catch her, and we will catch her, that I want be able to talk to her." She said, giving me a look that said it was not optional.

"Sure." I said, "But just because we have her picture, does not mean it's going to be any easier to catch her."

"Well, they've got it running through the data base, and if she's been arrested before or is in the system, we'll find her. And maybe we can release the picture to the media." She suggested.

"We can't put it on the news. If she sees that, if she knows that we have her picture, she'll disappear faster than anyone can spot her, and then we'll have no chance at catching her." I said, looking at the picture that was smirking up from where it rested on my desk.

"Well, at least today we are one step closer." She said, standing up from her seat, to which I followed.

I followed her out my office door, flicking off the light switch as I went.

"Are you coming?" She asked from where she stood inside the elevator.

"I just want to check something really quick, then I'm going to leave. I swear." I said.

She didn't seem to believe me, but decided that she didn't want to stick around to make sure that I left the office at a decent time.

It was quiet in the office as I walked over to the wall that housed the pictures of the most wanted criminals.

For the first time in many years, the frame above the title, The Scarlet Thief, had a picture.

* * *

**BPOV**

"I'll look into it, but I'm not promising anything." Seth said.

"That's all I ask." I said, rising from my chair.

"I'll let you know when I've got it or not." He said, I nodded.

"Thanks." I said.

"I'm just curious. Why do you want this so bad? It doesn't seem like something that would be that useful to you." He asked, looking up at me from his seat.

"It's personal, and important. So, please try." I said, my tone serious.

He nodded, detecting the gravity of the job I gave him.

I walked back across the room and downed the rest of my drink, Alice watched me with curious eyes.

"You okay?" She asked, her eyes glancing back to where I just was.

"Yeah, just saying hi to a friend." I said.

"You have friends?" She asked.

"Not many." I stated, taking another large gulp of the fresh drink the bartender placed on the counter.

"Well, consider me added to the list then." She said, holding up her drink to me with a smile.

I looked at her for a second, before returning the smile, picking up my own glass and touching it to hers with a 'clink'.

* * *

**A/N: Alright, so this chapter was more filler then excitement, but I assure you it was a very important chapter, it had a lot of important information vital to the story. A lot of you have been asking me if there is going to be romance in this story, so here is my answer: Have patience, this story is labeled as a crime/romance story, so naturally the crime comes first and then there will be romance. So if your reading this story for the exciting crimes, you won't be disappointed, if you are reading it purely for the romance, you won't be disappointed either, you're just going to have to wait a little longer. I know exactly where I'm going to go with it, and as an avid reader of this story you're just going to have to trust me. :P**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT **

**EPOV**

My hand reached out for the cup of coffee that wasn't there, I grabbed at air and remembered that I hadn't had time to stop and get some.

The coffee they had in the break room was like tar, but my need of caffeine was starting to make me consider getting a cup.

I rubbed my eyes and put down the stack of papers I had been rifling through for the past hour; deciding that now was a good a time as ever to take a break.

There were only a few other people inside as I walked over and poured myself a cup from the coffee pot on the counter, grimacing at the burnt smell.

I leaned against the counter and took a sip, forcing it down.

A rise in the conversation level made me look up as Rosalie strolled in with a guy hot on her heels.

I watched curiously as he seemed to be at her every beck and call. I chuckled, drawing attention from them.

"Hi Edward." She said, her attention turning to me.

"Hey Rose." I said, making a face as I took another sip, coughing a few times; I noticed the guy eyeing me, probably wondering what my affiliation was to Rosalie.

I watched as the guy followed right behind her as she walked over to me. I was still looking at him with one eyebrow raised when she realized, "Oh right!" She said, "Edward, this is Emmett, he's in the organized crime division that works on the fifth floor. Emmett, this is Edward, I'm helping him on the Scarlet case."

The guy, Emmett, visibly relaxed and held out his hand. I took it, "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise." He said giving my hand a firm shake, I noticed Rosalie roll her eyes from where she stood, watching our exchange.

He was very broad shouldered and was much bigger than me, but the dimples in his cheeks that showed when he smiled gave away that he was soft natured.

"Anyways…" She drew it out, "Emmett was just telling me about the case he just wrapped up."

I looked at him, interested, but my eyes were distracted when Rosalie took a sip of her coffee, which was not office-brewed, I eyed it hungrily.

"Yeah" Emmett started, excitement in his tone, "We wrapped up a ten month long undercover investigation. Brought down a large organization." He boasted.

"Congratulations." I said absentmindedly, still eyeing Rose's coffee.

Part of my mind realized that this must be the guy Rose was talking about before when she mentioned going on a date.

"Were you undercover?" I asked.

"No," He shook his head, "but I was in charge of the investigation; we had three other agents undercover. But I have done a lot of undercover work before."

I nodded as I took my cup of coffee and sat down at one of the tables, they followed suit.

"So, I know you work in the major crimes division, working on anything big? Rose doesn't tell me much." He said, glancing at her.

"Yeah, you could say that." I took another sip; the taste wasn't getting any better.

Rosalie noticed my look, took pity on me and slid her coffee across the table.

I gave her a thankful look and wasted no time in gulping it down.

"We just made a huge break on our case." Rose said.

"Oh?" Emmett asked, "How big?"

"We got a picture." She said, excitement in her tone.

He looked back and forth between us like we were insane; obviously not understanding how long it's taken us to get that far.

"This case has been going on for over three years; I'm the fifth agent that's been assigned to it. And I'm the only one that seems to have made any progress." I said, trying to explain.

"Yeah, so far we're the only ones to be able to get a picture of her. Edward's actually talked to her." Rose said.

"Wait, it's a girl thief?" He smiled, a look in his eyes, "nice."

"I think Edward has a thing for her." Rose said, throwing me a look, to which I narrowed my eyes.

"So, what's her name?" Emmett asked, looking between us.

"No idea. She just goes by Scarlet." I said, swishing the cup of coffee around.

"But you have a picture, so if she's in the system…" He started, but Rosalie and I both started shaking our heads.

"There are thousands upon thousands of pictures in there, and we have no other information that could somehow categorize the pictures and make the process go faster. So far, nothing has come up and it's not looking good." I said.

"Wow, this girl must be pretty good, what has she stolen?" Emmett asked, curiosity evident in his tone.

"More like, what hasn't she stolen?" Rosalie said.

"Over three dozen paintings, and around sixteen precious gems, adding up to well over two hundred million dollars." I said.

He whistled, obviously impressed.

He checked his watch, "Damn, I gotta get going, we're still wrapping up the finer details on the case."

He kissed Rose on the cheek and said, "Nice to meet you Edward; good luck with your case, if you need any undercover help, give me a call, I'm sure organized crimes wouldn't mind loaning me to your division." He chuckled.

I nodded in farewell, and he left the room.

"He seems nice." I said, drinking the last of the coffee in my hand.

She nodded, a small smile on her face. "Yeah, we've only been dating for a few weeks, but he's nice. I don't usually date nice."

I got up and threw the empty coffee cup away, "We should get going." I said.

"Where?" She asked, turning in her chair to look at me.

"We should go and show the picture around in a few spots, see what we can dig up." I said, putting on my jacket.

"But if we do get somewhere she's been, who says they'll tell us anything?" She asked, following me as I walked down the hall to the elevator.

"That's why you're coming along. You are going to do your whole psychological mojo and see if anybody looks like they're lying." I said with a small laugh, stepping into the elevator as the doors dinged.

"Well I'm so glad that my 'mojo' can be useful to you." She said rolling her eyes, as she stepped inside beside me.

I pressed the button for the ground floor.

"So how do we know that Scarlet doesn't already know about the picture and that she's long gone?" She asked, turning her head to look at me.

I watched the doors close, "We don't."

* * *

**BPOV**

I walked past the bay windows in my living room where I briefly noticed storm clouds growing in the distance over the water.

I walked over to the door in the corner of the room and punched in the sixteen digit number that would allow me access to my basement.

The lights flickered on as I walked down each step until I reached the bottom, I stopped walking and watched as the lights continues flickering on, illuminating the long stretch of hallway before me.

As I walked down the hall, I looked over some of the paintings hanging on the walls. A majority of them were forgeries, simply kept as a reminder of my accomplishments; but some of them were real. An untrained eye wouldn't be able to tell which were and which weren't.

I stopped in front of the newest one, the Van Gogh. I had decided to keep this one, at least for the moment.

If I wanted to sell it, I could always move it later. The important part was that it was in my possession.

I spent some time looking it over, memorizing the finer details, practically seeing the paint being brushed on.

After I just about had each paint stroke memorized, I decided to head back upstairs and try to do something more productive.

It was as I was making sure that the alarms were set that my phone started ringing.

When I saw the caller ID I quickly answered.

"Seth. Do you have it?" I asked, not even bothering with small talk.

When I heard him sigh, I knew the answer.

"I looked into what you asked…" He started, I could sense the hesitation in his voice.

"And?" I prompted.

"It's not good. The file you want isn't in the system. The crime happened before they began storing all the files on computers. It's all on physical papers; I can't hack papers. I don't think I can help you. I'm sorry." He said solemnly.

I sank into the closest chair, my eyes closed of their own accord and my head hung forward.

My hand that was holding the cell phone to my ear dropped to rest on my knee.

I let out a breath, I reopened my eyes and heard my name coming from the phone and remembered Seth.

I put the phone to my ear again, "Yeah, I'm here. Sorry." I ran a hand through my hair, my mind turning over the news.

"What is so important about that file that makes you want it so bad?" He asked, his attempt at subtly curiosity failing.

I heard his question but didn't process what he said.

"What can you tell me about the location of the file?" I asked, my mind set.

"I know what you're thinking Scarlet, don't do it." He said.

"Where is the file?" I repeated more firmly.

He sighed, "Listen to me Scarlet. The file…the file you want is locked away, deep in the FBI. The only place I could think that they would keep something like that would be in the lowest levels below the FBI building. It's the same level that holds all their collected evidence from all the cases."

"Alright." I said, already formulating different plans.

"No Scarlet, that's not even close to being the end of it. The security for that section is air-tight. Even for you." He admitted.

"Explain." I said.

"Well, according to my sources; the main system includes a keycard and a keypad with an eight digit code…"

"If that's it then-" I started, but he interrupted me.

"No you didn't let me finish; on top of both of those, there's also a retinal scanner." He concluded.

My mind stopped short. "Why would they have a retinal scanner?" I asked him.

"It's all their evidence, if someone gets to that stuff, a lot of their cases could be compromised." He said, ready with an answer. Retinal scanners were impassable; they read the retina of someone's eyes, which is more unique then a fingerprint.

"Other entrances?" I asked.

"None. It's below ground level, one way in, one way out." He said.

I was running out of options.

I swallowed hard, "Do you know how strong the door is?" I asked.

"Force isn't going to help you Scarlet. Even if you do manage to somehow blow your way in, there are hundreds of boxes filled with thousands of files in there. And if by some luck you find the one you're looking for, there is a building full of federal agents waiting to arrest you when you come back up; well, if they don't come down and get you first." He said.

There were a few moments of silence, until he broke it.

"You must really want that file." He said, his tone giving away his curiosity, though he wasn't brave enough to just come out and ask me why I wanted it.

"Thanks Seth. This sets us straight, we're even." I said slightly absentmindedly, my mind elsewhere.

"Really?" He asked, wondering why I was considering us even.

"Yeah. I gotta go." I said.

"Scarlet." He said, stopping me before I hit the 'end' button.

"Yeah?" I asked, waiting for him to warn me again.

There was a pause.

"Good luck… I hope you find what you're looking for."

I heard a click, then the dial tone.

I put my phone in my pocket, not knowing what to think.

The only thing I did know was that I was in desperate need of a drink.

* * *

**EPOV**

"How many more places are there?" Rosalie asked, boredom leaking into her tone.

"Just one more today." I said as I threw the car into park and opened my door.

"Thank god." She said as she followed suit and got out on her side.

I laughed, we had been going from bar to bar and from club to club, the day was slowly coming to an end and we had come up with nothing.

"From now on, I'll stay at the office and you can bring the suspects to me, I can do my 'mojo' from there." She said, pulling open the door to the bar and stepping inside, not bothering to hold it for me.

I shrugged to myself and followed behind her.

We wove in-between the tables before we got to the bar.

I pulled my badge out from the inside of my jacket and held it up to the bartender.

"Hi, I'm agent Cullen with the FBI, I was wondering if we could ask you a few questions." I said, leaning against the bar with one hand.

His eyes switched between Rosalie and I for a moment before he grudgingly said, "Sure." And set down the drink he was mixing.

"We were wondering if you've seen this girl around here." I said, fishing out the picture of Scarlet from my pocket and holding it up for him to see.

"Nope, haven't seen her." He said, picking up the drink again.

"Are you sure? Take a good look." I said, holding it out for him.

He shrugged, leaned closer and held the picture up close to his face. "Yep, I'm sure."

I saw his eyes flick past my shoulder, before quickly returning to me. I turned my head to follow his line of sight, but there was no one there.

Slightly confused, I returned my gaze to him.

He was looking at me, "Now if you don't mind, I have to get back to work." He said, clearly wanting me gone.

It didn't take a psychologist to figure out that there was something he wasn't telling us.

"Yeah, we're all done. Thanks for the help." I said, replacing the image in my pocket.

"That's it?" Rosalie asked in surprise as we started walking away. "He's clearly lying."

"Yeah, that may be, but it's not like I can arrest him. We don't have much choice." I said as I reopened the door and stepped outside.

* * *

**BPOV**

I stepped out of the shadows in the back of the bar.

The bartender had been talking to a couple people when I walked in. I hadn't thought anything of it until I caught the look he sent me over one of their shoulders.

I had immediately melted into one of the darker corners of the bar and waited for them to leave.

I walked over to the counter and gave the bartender a look that plainly said, 'what was that all about?'

"Those two were cops, they were looking for you." He said.

I nodded in understanding, "Thanks," I took a seat on one of the stools, "can I get gin and tonic?"

"Sure…" He said, obviously wondering why the news that the cops were looking for me didn't surprise me and have me running for the nearest exit.

It didn't take him long to get my drink together, and I didn't waste time in drinking it.

He helped out a few other customers who probably didn't have outstanding warrants on their heads, but weren't completely honest either, before returning to me.

He noticed my now empty glass and said, "Can I get you another?"

I was resting my elbow on the bar and using my hand to prop my head up, my eyes shifted to him when he spoke, "Sure, but make is something stronger."

"You got it." He said as he took my empty glass.

He placed a shot of vodka in front of me. "So, what's got you so troubled?" He asked as he dried a glass with a dishtowel.

I looked at him, "Just got some bad news, that's all."

"Want to talk about it?" He asked.

I threw him a look, "No."

"Alright, alright. I get it." He said, holding up his hands in defense. "Just thought it might have to do with those two cops flashing your picture around earlier." He said, turning around and putting the newly dried glass on the shelf.

My eyes widened, my head rose and I looked at him, "What?"

"What?" He asked, turning back around.

"No, what did you just say?" I asked, praying that I had misheard.

"I was just asking if whether you were upset had anything to do with the cops looking for you with that picture." He said, probably thinking I hadn't heard him the first time.

"Oh my god." I put my head in my hands.

"'You okay?" He asked, looking at me.

I didn't hear him, my mind was too busy repeating, _'oh my god'_ over and over in my head.

'_How the hell did they get a picture?'_ My mind asked itself, but got no answer.

"This is bad. This is really really bad." I said to myself.

I couldn't believe it; my mind was running through every situation, every heist, every second.

I ran a hand through my head in frustration.

I reached desperately for the drink in front of me and downed it.

"Another?" The bartender asked.

It took me a moment to process what he said; my mind was so focused on other things.

"No, I- I have to go." I slapped a bill on the bar and said, "Keep the change."

"Alright…" He said, obviously confused, but not about to give up a good tip.

I pulled out my cell phone and dialed a number.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Hey, can you meet me at my house?" I said.

"When?" She asked.

"Now." I responded as I pushed open the door.

* * *

"You have to run." Alice said, looking at me from the other couch in the living room.

I was leaning back in the armchair; I had been staring at nothing in particular, propping my head up with my arm.

My eyes flicked up to her, but I didn't say anything.

"Scarlet, this is insane. They have your picture for god's sake. I'm surprised you're not gone already." She said, sitting up and looking at me.

"I can't." Was my only response as I returned to staring at nothing.

"Scarlet, what is wrong with you?" she snapped her fingers to regain my attention. "Why can't you leave?"

I didn't answer; my mind was already made up. "Alice, will you be okay by yourself; I'm not going to be able to bring you any work for a while."

"Scarlet…?" She started.

"Please." I said, looking at her.

She sighed, "Yeah, I've got more than enough."

I nodded, satisfied. I stood up and she followed suit, sensing that the conversation was over.

I held the door open for her, but she didn't leave.

Instead, she turned to me and said, "What are you planning?"

I sighed and leaned the side of my head against the door, "There's something I have to do. You're not going to like it when you find out, which is exactly why I can't tell you. You'd only try to stop me."

She looked at me for a long time, I could see the struggle to let the problem go in her eyes.

I could tell when she gave in by the shift in her eyes.

"I'll talk to you when I can, but it may not be for while." I said, she stepped out the door.

I hesitated before shutting the door, "Hey Alice?" I said, making her turn around.

"Yeah?" She asked, looking at me.

"Thanks. And when you finally hear about what's going to happen, just…remember that I always know what I'm doing." I said, waiting for her to nod before I closed the door.

* * *

A few hours later I was standing inside an art gallery.

It was completely silent.

I let my eyes look around the large rooms, the flood lights allowed me to see most of the room.

I had already locked down my house; set all the alarms and turned off all the lights.

I didn't know when I'd be able to go back, but I promised myself that I would go back eventually.

I spent some time in the gallery, even if I didn't want to admit it to myself, I knew that I was stalling; pushing back the imminent moment that would change everything.

The gallery was mainly full of contemporary pieces; I could only recognize a few of the artists. But the ones I did recognize could fetch for a hefty sum.

I strolled around, looking over each piece, delaying as long as I could stand it.

When I felt that I had stalled long enough, and that I should just get it over with I walked to the middle of the room.

There was a small statue sitting on a stand.

I took a deep breath.

I could hear a voice in the corner of my mind telling me not to do it, that there were other options.

But I knew it was lying, that I was just lying to myself.

No. This was the only way.

I reached out before I could stop myself and picked up the statue.

Alarms began ringing all around me. I put the statue back down on the stand.

The damage was done.

The same part of my mind that had warned me before was now screaming at me to run. Hide. Anything…

Instead of listening to it, I slowly sat down on the gallery floor, bent my knees up into my chest and leaned back against the stand.

Then I waited.

* * *

**EPOV**

"So how many places do we have to go tomorrow?" Rosalie asked from the chair on the other side of my desk.

"At least five or six. I think we should also-" I started, but the phone started ringing, cutting me off.

I picked it up, "Agent Cullen."

"Yes, hi; we have a break in at the gallery on East Madison. Our local cops are on the way, but you were on our call list if anyone ever broke in, so you may want to get down there." Said the police operator on the other end of the line.

"Thanks." I said, hanging up the phone in a rush and standing up.

"What happened?" Rosalie asked, standing up as well.

"We've gotta go." I said, grabbing my jacket off the back of my chair and rushing out of the room. "There's been a break in at a gallery."

* * *

**BPOV**

I opened my eyes when I heard footsteps.

'_Here we go.'_

A security guard came running through the door, wielding a small gun.

"Freeze!" He yelled, standing near the door, pointing his gun at me.

"I'm not moving." I said, leaning my head back against the stand as I looked at him. He was young for a security guard; and by the looks of it, he didn't have much experience with criminals.

I sighed, "I guess this is your lucky day. Not many security guards ever get the opportunity to catch a thief."

He shuffled forward a few steps, using a terrible stance and holding his gun at an awkward angle.

"Don't move and I won't shoot." He said, attempting to be forceful in his command, but I could detect a small quiver.

I looked at him, "The safety is on." I said, gesturing to the gun with my head.

He did a poor job at hiding his embarrassment, before flicking the safety off and re-pointing the gun at me.

I sighed again, "I assume the cops and the FBI are on their way by now?"

He looked at me for a second, still probably trying to figure out what I was up to, before nodding.

"Well then I guess we have a few more minutes of quiet before they get here." I said.

* * *

I started hearing sirens a few minutes later, I reopened my eyes for the second time, the security guard was in the exact same position.

I looked at him, "Do you mind if I stand up, it looks less…submissive.

I didn't wait for him to answer before standing up, crossing my arms and leaning back against the stand.

I heard at least a dozen sets of footsteps pounding louder and louder toward us.

I took a deep breath.

My eyes were trained on the gallery doors as they burst open and police officers flooded in.

* * *

**EPOV**

I ran inside the front doors of the building, there were a few police officers, I assumed the rest were inside the gallery.

I flashed my badge around, waiting for someone to point me in the direction of the gallery.

"Oh good, you're agent Cullen with the FBI?" One of them asked, to which I nodded.

"Yeah, we got the thief; some of our guys are going to bring her out soon." He said.

"What?" I asked, my eyes widening, I must have heard wrong.

"We got the thief." He repeated, giving me a weird look.

I looked at Rosalie; she had the same look of unbelief on her face.

There was no way. It wasn't possible.

We both made our way toward the correct gallery, neither of us willing to believe it until we saw it.

Thousands of thoughts were flying across my mind.

But all of them stopped short when I opened the door to the gallery and noticed all the police officers standing around one person: Scarlet.

* * *

**BPOV**

The police officers obviously had more practice with criminals then the security guard. One of them came over and forced me onto my knees with my arms behind my head as he handcuffed me.

He brought me to my feet again, he was reading me my rights but I wasn't listening.

I was looking at Agent Cullen.

He was standing on the other side of the room, staring directly at me.

His eyes were surprised, but also confused.

I looked at him for one more long moment before the cop who had handcuffed me started leading me toward the door at the other side of the room, breaking my gaze with him.

* * *

**EPOV**

I could see the deep brown of her eyes from where I stood, before she was pulled away.

I didn't know what to think.

It didn't make any sense.

I didn't even notice Rosalie standing beside me until she spoke, "So I guess she decided to turn herself in."

"No. This isn't like her. She wouldn't do this." I said, still starting after her.

"What do you mean?"

"I…don't know. I mean I've been after her for long enough to know that she is not the kind to just surrender." I said, briefly looking at Rose before returning my gaze to the room before me.

"No." I said, "She…she has something. Some motive. Something."

"But what is it?" Rose asked.

I paused as I watched Scarlet disappear from view.

"I have no idea..."

* * *

**A/N: Alright, how badly do you want the next chapter? Because it all depends on you guys clicking that green button below. :P**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT **

**BPOV**

I sat in a cold metal chair, maneuvering my wrists in an attempt to relieve the chaffing feeling that the handcuffs were giving me.

I put them on the metal table in front of me with a 'clank'.

I sighed.

Here I was, sitting in an interrogation room identical to the ones in the crime shows on TV.

The walls were painted an off white that made you wonder if it had actually originally been pure white.

There were two chairs on the opposite sides of a metal table, which was illuminated by a florescent light on the ceiling.

And there was a mirror that was actually a window from the other side. Allowing the people in the other room to see into this one, while not allowing me to see them.

I had been sitting in there by myself long enough to guess that there was at least one person watching me from behind that mirror.

That was the only thing that was keeping me from finding some way to get the damn handcuffs off.

It could have been anywhere in-between fifteen and forty minutes later that the door opened quickly and a man that I didn't recognize walked in.

He shut the door behind him, letting the sound echo into the empty room.

My eyes followed him without interest as he walked over, pulled the chair out with a screech and sat down.

He didn't say anything for a few moments, just stared at me with eyes that I'm sure have persuaded criminals before.

I just stared back.

I had done my research, and he was not the one I wanted to talk to, that much was clear.

He was probably just an interrogator that the FBI had on call.

"Do you want a lawyer present?" He asked, breaking the silence.

I started to shake my head, but hesitated, "Wait, what all am I being charged with again?" I asked.

He looked at me for a second, obviously trying to decide if I was being serious.

When he decided that I was, he adjusted his glasses and looked at the top of the papers on his clipboard.

"You have been charged with…twenty three counts of grand larceny. All within the Chicago area. Now, I'm going to ask once again, do you wish to have a lawyer present?" He asked, obviously getting annoyed but trying hard not to let me see it.

"Twenty-three? Interesting…" He gave me a look that reminded me that he had asked a question; I waited a few seconds as if thinking it over, "No, no lawyer." I said with finality, shaking my head for effect.

"Alright then." He said, readjusting himself in his seat and clearing his throat.

"You are going to be transferred to lock up later after we have you sit in with one of our psychologists." He said, standing up.

"Wait, what?" I said, thinking that I had misheard.

He stopped, his hand was on the door knob, "I'm sorry…but with your crimes-" He started but I cut him off.

"No, I'm not talking about going to lock up; I'm talking about the psychologist."

"Oh." He said, opening the door, "It's not optional, apparently there are some people that want to talk to you before you go in."

"Great, that's just great." I said putting my head in my hands as the door closed.

* * *

**EPOV**

The only notion of time passing in my office was the hurried footsteps from the other side of the door, and the minute hand on my clock slowly turning.

Rosalie was sitting in her usual seat in the chair across from me, her chin in her hand.

Neither of us said anything, because neither of us knew what to say.

The last thing I remember either of us saying was something along the lines of "It doesn't make any sense."

Rosalie was especially confused, which was making her angry, which in turn was making her more confused about why she couldn't figure it out.

It would be pretty comical if I wasn't so confused about the matter myself.

I jumped a little when her phone started ringing.

"Hello?" She answered.

My eyes flicked over to her.

"Alright, great; I'll meet you down there soon. Thanks." She shut her phone and put it in her pocket before standing up, a smile now present on her face.

"Care to share?" I asked, looking up at her.

"They finished up the paperwork with Scarlet; they're going to let me talk to her." She said, excitement obvious in her tone.

I perked up, interested.

"You wanna come?" She asked, as she pulled on her jacket.

I thought it over, "Sure…I'll watch, but I'll leave the psycho analyzing to you; I can't stay for long though, I have to get all my paperwork done and filed by today."

She nodded and we started walking down the hall, she turned to look at me over her shoulder.

"Do you mind if I ask you to look from the observation room, you might be a distraction." She asked.

"How could I be a distraction?" I asked.

She threw me a look.

"Don't you remember the last time you had a conversation with her? She nearly dislocated your jaw.

I subconsciously rubbed the spot on my chin where she had kicked me, it felt like a lifetime ago.

"Oh yeah." I said, bringing myself back to the present. "Alright, I'll stay behind the glass."

"Good, this is definitely going to be interesting." She said as we stepped into the elevator.

* * *

**BPOV**

I was lying on my back, my fingers interlocked behind my head.

I sighed.

I realized that I had been doing a lot of that lately without knowing it.

Not that there was much else to do at the moment.

I was in temporary lockup, lying on one of the benches they had.

I opened my eyes when I heard some noises. The guard was unlocking the cell door, I looked at him curiously.

"Come on." He said, gesturing with his hand, "We're taking you over to the FBI building."

I grimaced, "Time for my psychologist appointment, I assume?" I asked.

"I don't know, I was just told to get you to the FBI building." He said, getting frustrated, "Would you rather stay here?" He asked, obviously meaning for the question to be rhetorical, but the thought of meeting a psychologist was actually making me consider his offer.

He put the handcuffs back on, this time behind my back. I grimaced when they started chaffing again.

I stepped out of the cell, and four male police officers stepped into line with me.

"Seriously?" I said, turning to the guy who had unlocked my cell.

"FBI's orders." He said, walking away.

I decided to take it as a compliment and started walking, trying not to laugh when they formed a box around me.

* * *

Our party arrived at the FBI swiftly; many onlookers stared openly at me as I walked by in my bright orange jumpsuit.

I ignored them; staring right ahead as I was escorted inside the building from the side entrance.

We stepped into the elevator, my eyes flicked over to the buttons that led down to the lower levels; it was hard to believe that I was this close to the thing I wanted most, and yet I couldn't have it. Not yet.

I sighed when one of the police escorts pushed the button for the ninth floor and the elevator jumped into motion, carrying us upward.

The four officers didn't say much, they all held a strict look on their face, telling me that they had escorted more dangerous criminals before and that they took their job very seriously.

We exited the elevators onto a floor that had a lot less activity.

One of the armed escorts left and went to talk to someone, I assumed to tell them I was here.

He came back with another guy who made us follow him until he unlocked a door and I was escorted inside.

The room was very similar to the interrogation room I had been in before except not as oppressive. There were still a table and two chairs, but they were nicer then the cold, hard metal I had sat on before. The walls were painted a dark navy blue instead of the off white. I assumed that this was one of the FBI's nicer interrogation rooms, when I saw the same type of two-way mirror on the wall.

"Sit." One of them ordered, pointing to a chair.

I complied and sat in the chair opposite the mirror.

I moved my shoulders around a little, trying to get the stiffness out from where my hands were handcuffed together behind my back.

Once they made sure that I wasn't going to move, they left the room, leaving me alone once again.

A few silent minutes later, I heard movement behind the door followed by it opening.

A woman walked in and closed the door behind her; I recognized her from when I was being arrested. She had been standing next to agent Cullen.

She sent me a warm smile, I just looked back uninterested.

"Hi, I'm Rosalie Hale. I'm a psychologist for the FBI. I was wondering if we could talk?" She asked, though I knew that I didn't actually have a say in whether or not I wanted to talk to her.

When I didn't say anything, she took it as a yes and sat down in the chair opposite me.

I just stared at her, a look of defiance in my eyes. It didn't take a psychologist to figure out that I didn't want to be there.

"So, tell me about yourself Scarlet." She said, still smiling.

I narrowed my eyes a fraction, but kept my silence.

"Alright, how about starting with where you grew up?" She asked.

I furrowed my eyebrows a fraction, deciding to completely ignore her question.

"I'm not going to like you, am I?" I said, watching with satisfaction as the corner of her lip twitched; the only sign that I was getting to her.

She sighed. "Fine, what would you like to talk about, because we're not leaving here until we talk about something." She said, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair, trying to show that she was in control of the situation, not me.

I sighed again, she was serious, I could see it in her eyes.

"Alright fine, you wanna talk, pick a different topic." I said, readjusting my shoulders once again.

She regained her smile once again, "Great!"

My brows furrowed once again at her peppy attitude.

"So…why don't we talk about why you turned yourself in?" She asked.

I let out a large breath, deciding what a suitable answer would be.

"I guess I just thought it was the right thing to do." I said, figuring that that was close enough to the truth.

"Mhhmm." She said, obviously unconvinced but not about to call me out on it.

"So, how long have you been working on my case?" I asked her, turning the tables.

"A while." Was her vague answer; she obviously wanted to be the one asking questions.

I didn't let her.

"So, the FBI must have been pretty desperate to catch me if they brought a psychologist on to hunt for me." I said, a small smile on my face as I took control of the conversation.

"Not desperate so much as determined." She said, her smile turning slightly stiffer. I was assuming that she was only deciding to answer my questions in a way to keep me talking.

"Yeah, but you have to admit, asking a psychologist to join the team makes you wonder if the agents are capable of capturing criminals such as myself on their own." I said, the smile still in place on my face.

"They have caught many criminals before you without the help of psychologists." She said, trying not to let me see that she was getting slightly bitter.

"Yes, but not of my standard." I said.

"They caught you." She said, a flicker of defiance in her eyes.

"Ah, no. Remember, I surrendered. There's a difference." I said.

"That's right, you did. Why don't we get back on topic and discuss that some more." She said, trying yet again to gain control of the conversation.

"We already talked about that." I said, knowing that the only reason she brought it up again was because she wasn't satisfied with my previous answer.

"Alright, why don't we talk about your family or friends." She said, linking her fingers and resting her elbows on the table.

"Don't have any." I said quickly, the smile no longer on my face.

"Which one?" She asked.

I hesitated, debating whether or not to answer truthfully.

"…Both." I said slowly.

"Oh come on, you must have at least one friend helping you out with all the stuff you do." She said, smiling to herself because she was able to get a concrete answer out of me.

"Nope." I said, defiant. Knowing that she was trying to get me to talk while also trying to get me to incriminate other people.

"You're telling me that you managed to do all of the things you did by yourself? Even you're not that good." She said, narrowing her eyes a fraction in challenge.

I took the bait, narrowing my eyes back, "Oh yes. I am."

"I don't believe you." She said, the smile had left her mouth but was now hiding in her eyes. I knew that she was manipulating me, yet I couldn't help but defend my credibility.

"If you want proof, hook me up to a lie detector." I said, leaning back in the chair.

I never thought for a second that she would go for it; I assumed that she knew I could cheat one and that she wouldn't get any real answers out of me.

That's why I was surprised when she smiled and said, "Alright, I'll have them set out up. You're already incriminated, so you can't do any more damage to yourself."

She seemed triumphant about something, it made me edgy. But not edgy enough to make me believe that I couldn't get past whatever she decided to throw at me.

She got up and left the room for a few minutes, when she came back, she was followed by a man pushing a cart with a lot of expensive looking equipment.

One of the guards that had brought me in here followed after them. He walked over to where I was sitting and unlocked the cuffs from behind my back.

I let out a sigh of relief when they came off and rubbed my wrist where a prominent red mark was now present.

He left the room, closing the door behind him.

I watched in curiosity as the tech guy set up the whole system. There were a lot of wires and flat computer screen.

Some polygraphs have gone digital, I guess the FBI has enough pull to afford one.

He adjusted the screen away from me so that I couldn't see the reading once he hooked me up to it.

He grabbed something that looked like one of the clips they put over patients fingers at hospitals and gestured for my right hand.

I reluctantly gave it to him, letting him put the clip over my index finger.

I only had a few moments before he turned on the machine and it started recording my heart rate.

Being a criminal, teaching myself how to fool a polygraph was one of the first things I did in case I ever got caught.

True, I did not expect the situation to be quite like this, but it was a good thing I trained myself anyways.

I took several deep breaths, filling my lungs to the brim, steadying my intake of air.

I concentrated, focused on feeling each one of my muscles move. Soon I could feel the beat of my heart in my fingertips.

The first part was done, my breathing was regulated and I could feel each beat of my heart.

He flicked the machine on, watched the recording of my heart beat for a few seconds, and then nodded at Rosalie.

The trick to deceiving a polygraph is not so much in making your lies seem like true words, but rather making your true words seem like lies.

The purpose for those watching your heartbeat is that when your heart rate increases, it is because of extra activity and stress happening in your mind that causes your heart to race. Creating a lie is stressful and takes a lot of mind power, telling the truth does not.

By looking at the difference in your heart rate from when they know you're telling the truth and when you're not, they can tell you're lying.

The trick is to increase your heart rate for the control questions that they know the answers to, that way when you do tell a lie; there is no noticeable difference in your blood pressure.

There are many ways to do this.

If you know that you are going to be taking a polygraph test, putting a tack in your shoe and stepping on it during the control questions will increase your heart rate in your body's response to the pain.

Since I didn't have that advantage, I would have to use other methods.

The guy who set up the equipment left the room, leaving the two of us alone once again.

She looked straight at me, the essence of triumph still in her eyes.

"Let's start with something basic." She said.

I nodded, accepting her challenge.

"Are you a citizen of the United States?" She asked, watching me very carefully.

I subtly bit hard on my tongue.

"Yes."

Her eyes flicked over to the screen, I could see no reaction on her face.

"Is your real name Scarlet?" she asked. She may have tried to hide it, but I could see the want in her eyes for the real answer to that question.

Too bad I wasn't going to give it to her.

My answer was a lie, so I answered normally without doing anything.

"Yes."

Her eyes flicked to the screen again, I could see no visible disappointment on her face.

Another way to increase your heart rate is to do math in your head, long division is one of the ones that works the best, the only problem is that you have to keep doing it as you answer.

I started rambling off the Fibonacci sequence in my head as quickly as I could.

'_Zero, one, one, two, three, five, eight, thirteen, twenty-one, thirty-four, fifty-five, eighty-nine, one hundred-forty four…_'

"Are you twenty-seven years old?" she asked.

"Yes." I answered truthfully.

I kept going back and forth between biting my tongue and doing math in my head to raise my blood pressure every time she asked a question that I could answer truthfully.

She asked dozens of questions, all ranging from favorite color to whether I really did have help during my heists.

I answered back accordingly, my heart rate being recorded at the same beat for each question.

We had been going at it for at least twenty minutes and so far I had hit back everything she had thrown me; the triumph was gone from her eyes but she was still defiant, not willing to let me win our silent competition.

She knew that I was lying in response to some of these questions, yet there was no physical reaction. She was trying to make me slip up.

A look of calculation came into her eyes, like someone trying to decide what their next move would be in a game of chess.

Then there was a spark. I was immediately suspicious.

Her eyes flicked back toward the two-way mirror on the wall.

I was still doing math in my head to keep my heart rate up.

'_The square root of one thousand five hundred and twenty one is…thirty-nine…'_

"Do you think Agent Edward Cullen is a good federal agent?"

'_Three hundred and sixty fi-' _

"What?" I asked, my mind stopping its mathematical progression once it processed her question, not understanding how it could be relevant.

My mind automatically pulled up an image of his face against my attempts to block it out.

There was a trace of a smile on her lips, "Please answer 'yes' or 'no'."

I attempted to reign my pulse back in to the controlled one I had it at before.

"Yes…I suppose, but I still don't see how that is relevant." I said, taking a deep breath.

She smiled a little more and the triumph was once again in her eyes.

"Is agent Cullen more interesting to you then the other federal agents that worked your case in the past years?" She asked.

This was not good; she was going off the books, stepping completely away from the scripted questions that they were supposed to ask during a polygraph.

"No." I answered, my eyes narrowing.

But she saw right through me.

I didn't have to be looking at the screen to know that my pulse jumped a fraction, I felt it.

I might as well have just said that I was lying.

I unclipped the instrument from my finger as quickly as I could without being obvious that I wanted it off immediately.

She didn't stop me and attempted to reign her smile back in, but was failing pretty miserably. I was using all my restraint to keep my emotions in check and stay calm.

She stood up from her chair, "I think that's enough for now."

It was then that I remembered my original intention; I figured that she would work as well as anybody to get the message through.

"Actually, I do feel like talking." I said.

She raised an eyebrow, curiosity in her eyes. She began to sit down again but I shook my head.

"Not with you. With your boss, the director of this agency branch. Tell him that I have a proposition he should consider." I said, leaning back in my chair.

She looked at me for a second, trying to figure out what I was up to.

I knew that she would deliver the message, she was too curious not to.

She opened the door and stepped out.

"I'll just wait here!" I called as she closed the door behind her.

The same security guard came back in and re-handcuffed me, much to my obvious protest and reluctance.

He took the cart with the polygraph equipment with him as he left, leaving me by myself once again.

I leaned back in my chair and put my feet up on the table as I waited the man I wanted to talk with to get here.

* * *

**EPOV**

It was strange seeing Scarlet sitting there in handcuffs, almost like it wasn't real.

She didn't look different from the few times I'd seen her before.

She still had the wavy locks of chestnut brown hair, and the deep brown eyes that seemed to have flecks of gold in them when they caught the light.

I was only able to watch a couple minutes of Rose's psychological analysis. It was pretty amusing watching her struggle to get the upper hand over Scarlet.

All too soon I had to leave and finish up my paperwork.

I had been getting handshakes and pats on the back all day from people who were impressed with my achievements.

I didn't feel like I deserved them though since I didn't technically catch her.

I was still overwhelmed with the whole situation. I still couldn't believe it.

I had spent every moment of every day for months hunting and searching for her, and now it was over.

I didn't really know what to do with myself.

I finished up all of the paperwork that needed to be completed and walked out of my office, nearly running into Rosalie.

She had on an interesting expression, she was both excited and confused, it was an interesting combination to see on someone's face.

"What happened?" I asked, gaining her attention.

She seemed to return to the present moment and realize I was standing there.

"She's very…cryptic. The second I think I have her figured out; she turns around and does something completely unexpected, throwing everything I thought I knew out the window." She said with frustration.

She was holding a stack of papers in her hand.

"Did you take notes?" I asked, pointing to them.

"What? No, these are the polygraph results, I printed them out." She said distractedly, her mind still thinking about something else.

"You made her take a polygraph?" I asked, bewildered.

She shrugged, "She offered, and my curiosity got the better of me."

"Well…how'd it go?" I asked, wondering if she'd let me take a look.

She handed over the papers and I started flipping through them, all the rates were the same.

"She's very good, one of the best I've seen." Rosalie said, a sliver of reluctance in her tone.

I was flipping through all the pages and stopped when I got to the last one; there was a large spike in the heart beat.

"Whoa, what did you ask her here?" I asked, extremely interested.

Someone this trained at fooling polygraphs wouldn't slip up unless they were completely caught off guard.

Rosalie noticed what I was asking about and snatched the papers back.

"Wouldn't you like to know." She smiled, laughter in her eyes at some private joke that I obviously was not meant to be included in on.

I narrowed my eyes at her, "I guess I should have done my paperwork another time. I would have been able to hear for myself."

Her eyes widened, "Oh my god, I just remembered." She said before running off down the hall towards Aro's office and started knocking on the door furiously.

I watched from a distance, confused.

She slipped inside and I waited a few minutes for her to come out, throwing her a look that clearly asked 'what was that all about?'

Aro came out of his office behind her and started walking toward the elevator.

Rosalie strode over to me quickly and grabbed onto my arm, pulling me in the direction of the elevator as well.

"It's Scarlet. She asked to talk to him specifically. I don't know why." It was clearly bothering her, and now it had me curious.

We had to wait for another elevator to follow him to where Scarlet was being held, but when it finally stopped on our floor we rushed inside.

After a few stops to let other people off on their floors, the elevator came to a stop on the interrogation floor, we impatiently walked out, our curiosity taking hold of our actions.

We headed for the door that led to the observation room, but there was an officer at the door that denied us entrance.

"Sorry, director Aro's orders. The detainee would only talk to him, no observers except for the usual officer. I've been told to tell anyone who wants to get inside that they'll have to wait until the conversation is over." He said.

I looked at him like he was insane, debating whether or not it was worth it to try and force my way past him.

Rosalie obviously had the same thought going through her head by the way she was grinding her teeth. This must have been even more excruciating for her then it was for me.

I sighed, relenting.

"Come on Rose," I said, pulling on her arm, "We'll find out soon enough, why don't we just go wait in my office."

With one last glare at the door blocker she gave in and followed me back toward the elevators.

* * *

We had been sitting in my office for a good half hour, trying to wait patiently.

I soon found out that patience was not one of Rosalie's virtues when it came to something she really wanted.

She paced back and forth for about ten minutes, talking both to me and herself about what Scarlet could be talking to the director about.

Neither of us had any ideas that sounded logical.

She finally decided to sit down but didn't stop talking.

After a while, there was a knock on my door and one of the interns poked their heads in.

"Agent Cullen, Director Aro wants a word with you." He said.

Rosalie jumped up and I followed quickly.

We both walked swiftly toward Aro's office.

He was sitting at his desk; I knocked on his open door, gaining his attention.

"Ah, Edward. Come in, close the door behind you." He said.

I gave Rosalie an apologetic look as I closed the door on her furious face.

Aro was signing some papers, but glanced up at me once I had closed the door.

"So Edward," He started, setting his pen down and looking at me, "How would you rate yourself so far as a federal agent?"

I was caught off guard by the strange question.

"Ummm…I suppose I've been decent…" I answered strangely, unsure if it was a trick question.

He nodded as if that answered an important question for him, "Well, you have a huge amount of potential Edward. Frankly I don't think 'decent' is accurate, you have done fairly outstanding in the short amount of time you've been an active agent."

"Thank you, sir." I said, not sure how else to respond to the compliment.

"So it's made me wonder how I can further put your potential to the best use possible." He said.

"I assume you are saying that what I am doing currently is not up to my ability." I said, trying to clarify what he said.

"Exactly." He said, picking up his pen and pointing it at me.

"For example," He started, "This Scarlet case. It appears as if this was the most challenging case you have come across; I hear that she is just as crafty as you appear to be." He said rhetorically.

I shrugged, still not sure what he was getting at.

"Yet, you managed to catch her." He said, pointing the pen at me once again for emphasis.

I waited for him to get to the point.

"So, it's made me wonder…with your potential, would giving you a partner make you that much better, would it allow you to do what you do, only faster." He said, finally getting to the point he wanted to bring up.

I blanched, "I assure you sir, I really do work much better by myself."

"Ah, but how can I know for sure if you've never had a partner before?" He asked, but yet again the question was rhetorical.

"So, I've made my decision. I've decided to give you a partner that seems to be just as cunning as you are." He said, a small smile on his lips.

"Sir…?" I was faintly aware of the door opening behind me, but my mind was too preoccupied with the idea of being forced to work with a partner to really process it.

"Agent Cullen, I'd like you to meet your new partner." He said, gesturing with his hand behind me.

I spun around quickly and my eyes widened in disbelief.

Because there, leaning against the door frame, un-cuffed, without a care in the world, a GPS tracker on her ankle and a smirk on her face…was Scarlet.

* * *

**A/N: Alright, so judging from the amount of reviews I got for the last chapter, I figure that a lot more of you seem to be able to press that green button. So, I'm going to ask again, how badly do you want the next chapter? :P**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT **

**BPOV**

"No, there's no way in hell. I refuse." He said, flinging his arms and pointing at me.

My smirk dropped a fraction, but I tried not to show it.

"Well, it's a good thing that I am not asking your opinion." Aro said, both our eyes shifted over to him.

"How did this even happen?" He asked/yelled, looking at me for a brief second before turning back to Aro.

_Flashback:_

_I was sitting in the same chair, waiting for the psychologist to deliver my message and for the FBI director to come down and talk to me._

_I knew she would get him to come, she was way too curious to let it go._

_Sure enough, about ten minutes later, the door opened and an older man walked in._

_He was obviously more practiced at hiding his emotions._

_He wore a look that blatantly said he was too busy to waste time talking to me._

_He pulled out the chair with a screech and sat down._

_He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, "Well, I'm here. Get on with it." He said._

_I smiled at him, but it wasn't a particularly friendly smile._

"_Director Aro." I started, if he was surprised that I knew his name, he didn't show it, "I believe we have a…mutual situation that we could use to help each other."_

"_Oh?" He said, unbelieving._

"_Yes. Your section is up for review this month, and I know for a fact that you are behind on the amount of arrests. And…because of budget cuts, if you don't meet your minimum, they're going to start making you lay off some of your agents." I said._

_He now had a small scowl on his face now, "Get to the point, please." He said._

"_My point, Director Aro, is that I can help you. There have been numerous cases in the past where criminals, such as myself, join an agent and help them on cases. I have an insight that you can't teach an agent." I said, then leaned back in my own while I waited for him to think it over._

_For the first time since he got in the room, he wasn't looking at me like I was a waste of his time._

_I could tell that he was actually considering it._

_I decided to push him over the edge._

"_Think about it. What use am I to you in jail? Out there, I can work as a consultant and bring in the criminals you want so badly." I said._

_He was looking straight at me, trying to tell if I was lying, if I had some sort of trick up my sleeve._

_He leaned back in his chair and stared at me, making me feel antsy, but I didn't show it. If he didn't go for it, I was in trouble. It seemed like forever until he said something._

"_Why are you doing this?" He asked, still looking at me._

"_Because." I said, "There are certain opportunities that I cannot let go by."_

_He continued to stare at me for a few more moments._

"_I agree." He finally said, letting out a deep breath, "I can partner you with one of our senior agents who have had experience with this sort of thing."_

_I was already shaking my head._

"_If you don't mind, I would prefer to be partnered with one agent in particular; I think the situation would work out much better." I said._

"_And which one is that?" He asked._

"_Agent Cullen." I said, a small smile on my face._

"_Why him in particular?" He asked, once again trying to figure me out._

"_Well, for one thing, I know that he doesn't have a partner. And for another…" I smiled, "We have a certain…understanding about one another." I said._

_He thought it over for a few moments, before slowly nodding._

_A few minutes later I was standing in another room, one of the guards was attaching a GPS tracker to my ankle._

_It was going against every criminal thought in my mind when I didn't stop him._

_This was no ordinary GPS, it was unhackable._

_Not only that, if I tried tampering with it in any way, an alarm is triggered and the FBI would know._

_It allowed the person monitoring it to see where I was every second of every day. And if I was ever somewhere I wasn't supposed to be, they would know it._

_A different guy came in with a laptop; he somehow activated the tracking anklet and got it going on the computer. When he was done, he closed the laptop and left the room, leaving just the guard, Aro and myself._

"_You realize, that if you try to run, if you do any criminal activity at all. That you'll immediately be put back in prison. But this time, you'll be in maximum security." Aro said, looking at me hard, telling me that he was completely serious._

_I swallowed hard, then nodded._

_He looked at the guard, then gestured to me with his head._

_I followed the guard with my eyes as he came over, took a set of keys out of his pocket and started unlocking my handcuffs._

_I let out a breath of relief when I could stretch my arms again._

_The guard handed me the clothes I was wearing when I was first arrested._

"_So, when do I start?" I asked, taking the clothes in my hands._

_He smiled, but it wasn't friendly, "Today."_

_End Flashback_

"This is ridiculous." Agent Cullen was still adamantly protesting my presence, but he was much quieter now.

"Ridiculous or not Agent Cullen, she is now your responsibility. Go and talk to the people on the sixth floor, they'll tell you more about the arrangement." He said in finality before gesturing for us to leave.

Agent Cullen said nothing as he brushed past me, out of Aro's office, muttering something.

I was smiling now, just at the hilarity of the situation, and Agent Cullen's reaction to it.

I waved goodbye to Director Aro who ignored me, and hurried to catch up the Agent Cullen.

I managed to slip into the elevator just before the doors closed.

I stood on one side of the elevator, rocking back and forth on my heels, practically feeling the irritation roll off of Agent Cullen who stood next to me.

It was quiet, he was obviously brooding. I let him do it, he was going to need to get it out of his system if we were going to work together.

A few moments later the elevator doors 'dinged' open and he stepped out briskly.

I quickly followed, making sure to stay a step behind him.

He didn't bother knocking on the door when we got to the office where we were headed.

"Ah, Agent Cullen, I've been expecting you." Said the guy sitting behind the desk as he put down the phone.

There was another person sitting in the chair on the opposite side of the desk. He got one glance at the look on Agent Cullen's face and said, "I'll talk to you later Ted." Before quickly getting up from his chair and leaving the room.

"So Edward, I hear you have a new partner." Said the guy who I assumed was Ted. It was obvious that he was trying not to laugh, but failing miserably.

I heard Agent Cullen grumbling under his breath.

"Ah! And this must be her!" He said with a smile as he stood up and offered his hand.

I stepped forward and took his outstretched hand with a smile in return, briefly aware of Agent Cullen rolling his eyes.

"Ted, Ted Culligan." He said as he shook my hand.

"Scarlet." I replied.

"I know." Was his response. At my strange look he elaborated, "Word travels fast around here; I doubt you could find someone that doesn't know who you are in this building. I mean, everybody knows how obsessed Eddie here is with you."

This time the waves of emotion I felt coming off Agent Cullen were no longer annoyance, but pure hatred.

Ted saw his look and laughed, "I'm just joking around." He held his palms up in defense.

"Can you just tell me what I need so I can go?" Agent Cullen said, obviously refraining himself.

"Sure sure." He said, still chuckling as he sat down again at his desk.

He clicked a few things on his computer, before looking at us again.

"Alright, so basically she stays with you at all times. If we check her anklet and she's not with you, then we send people out. If she tries tampering with her anklet, we send people out. Basically, if anything happens that's not supposed to, we send people out." He said, looking at me slightly apologetically.

I shrugged, it's not like I didn't expect it.

"She gets enough money for food and board, and for any other necessary purchases." He said, pausing for a moment, "I'll also need her to sign some paperwork, liability stuff, and then you should be good to go." He ended cheerfully.

He started typing on his computer again.

"Wait, where is she staying?" Agent Cullen asked.

"Hhmm?" Ted said, his focus on his computer.

"Where is she staying?" Agent Cullen said once again, this time with more authority, leaning on the desk with his palms.

Ted turned to look at him, "Oh, right. He clicked a few more things on his computer." He chuckled again.

"You're not going to like it." He said.

"Just tell me where." He said.

"Your building." Ted said, trying to contain his smile.

"What!?!" Both of us yelled.

"Relax, she'll be on a different floor. We looked around and your building's rent fit in with the amount we were willing to pay, plus it was convenient that it was close to you." He said.

"This is ridiculous." Agent Cullen said to himself.

I was surprised myself, but I was trying not to show it.

He snatched the paperwork out of Ted's hand and stormed out of the office; I sent Ted an apologetic look and scrambled to catch up with Agent Cullen.

Once again, I barely managed to slip inside the elevator doors before they closed.

This time, however, he did not stay quiet.

As soon as the doors shut, he was right in my face.

"Why are you doing this?" He demanded.

I took a step back to retain my personal space.

"I thought I might help." I said with a small smile.

"I don't need help; and we both know that that's not the reason why you're doing this." He said, his eyes were so intense it took me a moment to process what he said.

I shook my head to clear it and stepped forward into his face, "The why doesn't matter. What matters is that I'm here, I can help you, and that you're just going to have to deal with it."

The elevator doors opened and I strode out, briefly aware of him behind me.

"I want to meet her." Came a muffled voice from the other side of one of the doors in the hallway.

"No, Emmett!" The door swung open and I stopped in my tracks to avoid being hit.

A guy with curly brown hair, stood in front of me. He was big enough that he could probably snap me in two if he wanted, but from the large smile that appeared on his face once he caught sight of me, I was able to tell that he was a softie.

"Hi!" He said, holding out his hand enthusiastically.

Then, to make things even more weird and awkward, the psychologist woman who talked to me earlier stepped out of the room as well.

"Emmett, you can't just-" She stopped in her tracks when she saw me standing there.

Her eyes shifted to Agent Cullen, who was now standing next to me.

"Emmett, this is Scarlet, my new…consultant. Scarlet, this is Emmett, he's an agent in the organized crime division. And of course you know Rosalie." He said with a small cough, recognizing the awkwardness of the situation.

I ignored the look she was giving me and shook Emmett's hand.

"Nice to meet you." I said.

He was still smiling at me like he couldn't believe I was standing in front of him.

His mood was contagious and I soon found myself smiling a little as well.

"Well, we should-" Edward started to say but was cut off.

"Hey Edward." Came another voice as a blonde guy came into view.

Agent Cullen sighed, "Hey Jasper."

"I just heard the news, are you really-" He, like Emmett, stopped short when he spotted me.

"Hello, again." He said, smiling at me.

It took me a moment before it clicked; he was the agent I ran into when I had broken into Agent Cullen's office.

"Jasper this is Scarlet, Scarlet this is Jasper. Alright, introductions over. Let's go." Agent Cullen said, as he tried to lead me back the way we came.

"What's the rush, Edward?" Jasper said, smiling at me once again.

He grumbled, but stopped trying to pull me away.

I understood quickly why it was that he wanted to pull me away. Both Emmett and Jasper asked question after question, trying to poke fun at Edward every chance they got.

Rosalie and Agent Cullen sulked a few feet away, both obviously wanting this conversation to end as quickly as possible.

Soon, they both lost patience and I was being escorted toward the elevator by Agent Cullen, while Rosalie was making the other two go back to their offices, or wherever they were before I showed up.

It was silent in the elevator.

"They seem nice…" I said, breaking the silence. "Though, I think Rosalie may be a little hostile towards me for a while."

He didn't respond, just stared ahead at the metal doors, obviously still angry.

* * *

"So, this is it." He said as he handed me the key.

I took it from where he was holding it up and unlocked the door. I stepped inside the apartment and looked around.

It was fairly modest; there was a bedroom a bathroom, and a small kitchen, but not much else.

Frankly, it was better than I expected I was going to get. I turned around to notice him staring at me.

"What?" I asked, tucking some loose hairs behind me ears.

"Nothing." He said, shaking his head, obviously still not fully processing the situation, "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Alright…'night Agent Cullen." I said as he walked toward the door.

"It's Edward." I heard him grumble as he left.

"Alright…'night Edward." I called after him, letting out a breath of frustration that I didn't seem to be getting anywhere with him.

I turned around and looked over the room, taking in my new home.

* * *

**EPOV**

"Come on." I said to myself, as I knocked on the door for the second time.

I looked at my watch, tapped my foot impatiently.

"They just _had_ to give me a partner. And it just_ had_ to be her." I mumbled to myself.

"Come on Scarlet! I called you twenty minutes ago, we have to go!" I yelled through the door as I knocked again.

The door swung open suddenly and she stepped out, locking the door behind her quickly.

"Finally." I muttered, walking down the hall to the stairs.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." I heard her mutter, followed by quick footsteps.

"So, what's the big rush?" She asked as we stepped out the door into the bright light, making us both squint.

Light was reflecting off the snow as we began walking down the sidewalk.

"There's been a break in." I said.

She nodded, but said nothing else.

She had no problem keeping up with my longer strides, as we both avoided patches of ice.

We walked into the much drier parking structure and I walked toward my car, pulling my keys out of my pocket.

I heard her chuckle from a few steps behind me.

I threw her a look that blatantly said, 'what's so funny?'

"I have good memories about this car." She said with a smile, reminding me of the situation where she stole my car.

I grumbled something incomprehensible and got into the driver's seat.

I waited a moment for her to get in. Still not able to fully grasp the fact that she was here, actually here. After spending almost a year chasing her, to have her be sitting a foot away, out of the handcuffs I had spent so long trying to put her in.

I didn't believe her when she said she wanted to help, I didn't trust that she was doing this out of the goodness in her heart.

She had some ulterior motive, there was something she wanted, or something…I didn't even know what because I couldn't think of something that she would feel was worth turning herself in for.

But for the moment, I had no choice. Aro was my boss, what he said goes.

No matter how much I protested or tried to convince him that she wasn't to be trusted, that she belonged in jail for all the things she did.

But he didn't agree, he thought that she could help. He said that she wasn't considered a violent criminal, and that she might actually do some good. I distinctly remembered that I had laughed when he said that.

And so, here I was, driving through traffic in the busy Chicago downtown area, a thief in my passenger seat.

She didn't say anything, I couldn't stop my eyes from occasionally flicking over to look at her, but she didn't do anything but stare out the window.

I was angry; not only because of the fact that I was receiving a partner without my consent, but because that partner was Scarlet.

My eyes flicked over to her again, but she was still either deep in thought, or wasn't in the mood for talking for the first time since Aro had first assigned her to me, not that I was complaining, the quiet was refreshing.

A few minutes later we were there, I pulled the car over and put in park before unbuckling my seatbelt, it took Scarlet a moment to realize we had stopped. She started scrambling to undo her seatbelt, but I shook my head and stopped her.

"No, sorry. You're not coming in. Aro said I had to bring you with me, but I don't need your help and I don't want it. So you're staying in the car." I said, getting out on my own side and walking around the front of my car to the sidewalk.

"Oh, come on." She said, unbuckling her seatbelt and started opening the door.

"I said no."I pushed her door closed again, glaring at her.

She glared back at me and threw it open for the second time, I had to move back to avoid being hit.

"I'm coming in no matter what you say, and you can't stop me." She said fiercely, still glaring.

I narrowed my eyes, "Actually, I can." I said, pulling out my handcuffs and snapping one to her wrist quickly from where it was holding onto the top of the door, and then snapping the other onto the door handle.

"Hey! Come on!" She said, pulling at it uselessly before glaring at me even more and letting out a sound that was close to a growl.

"Bye." I said as I turned around and began walking towards the front door of the building.

I walked inside and was immediately greeted by some of the police officers that recognized me.

The cops pointed me to the back room when I asked where I was needed; I lifted the crime scene tape up and ducked underneath.

I walked into the room; there was even more broken glass, and a few scattered jewels here and there.

"So, can anyone tell me what happened here?" I asked, letting my voice carry throughout the room.

"Well," One of them started, walking up to me, "The alarms went off at around two o'clock this morning, cops responded, but when they got here, this was all they found."

"How long did it take for them to get here?" I asked, my eyes still scanning over all the damage.

"Less than five minutes." He said.

"So the criminals got in and out in less than five minutes, destroying the security cameras without being seen." I said, pausing for a moment, letting my eyes wander, "Impressive."

I let my eyes wander around the room for a few minutes, taking closer looks at certain things before standing back up and looking at one of the cops.

"So, do we know what all was stolen?" I asked, looking around for the owner, but only spotting police officers.

One of them noticed this and said, "He's already been taken back to the bureau for questioning."

"And none of you thought to ask him to go over his inventory before he left?" I said.

They looked slightly abashed.

"Is there any way we can figure this out for ourselves, without his help?" I asked, looking around.

A couple of them shook their heads, "They closed the safe after they got what they needed, only the owner knows the combination…" He said.

"Damn it, when can we get him back here, or the person who runs security to open it?" I asked.

I heard someone coughing behind me.

Both I and the police officer turned around to see Scarlet walking into the room with her hand raised.

"Why don't I just do it?" she asked, looking between me and the cop.

She noticed my speechless look at her presence, probably guessing that I was wondering how she got out of the car.

She pulled the cuffs out of her pocket and tossed them to me, along with a look that showed she obviously thought I was an idiot.

I still had a surprised look on my face so she elaborated, "Hello. Renowned thief here, master of stealth and picking locks." She said, pointing to herself.

When I said nothing she kept talking, "So you guys need to get into a safe, that's definitely within my area of expertise."

"No, absolutely not." I said, as I put the cuffs away on my belt.

"Why not?" She argued.

"Because I'm not about to let a known thief break into a safe at a crime scene." I said strongly , "How the hell did you even get in here?" I asked, changing the topic as the thought hit me.

"I told the cops in front that I was with you." She said, waving off the question with her hand as if it was no big deal as she looked around the room, taking the destruction in. "So, am I doing this or what?" She asked, gesturing to the safe.

We had gained the attention of most of the officers by now, they were watching out argument like a tennis match, their heads switching back and forth.

"No." I said adamantly.

"Why not?" She asked, not afraid to start another argument.

"I already told you why. You're a thief." I said, glaring her down.

"Oh come on, it's not like I can steal anything. In case you haven't noticed," She said, swinging her arms around, gesturing to the room, "Someone's already taken care of that."

All the heads were turned to me, waiting for my response.

I thought it over; it would be at least another hour or two before we managed to get someone down here with the info or qualifications to get in the safe. We didn't have that time to waste.

I sighed, "Fine." I said, relenting against my better judgment.

I ran a hand over my face as she walked past me with a triumphant smirk; I still wasn't able to believe that I was actually letting her do this.

I turned around to watch her.

She rubbed her palms together, flexed her fingers and cracked her knuckles as she crossed the room toward the safe.

The room became completely silent as she approached it.

Every eye was on her.

Even my own eyes were watching every movement she was making, keeping very close watch; after studying the aftermath of her crimes for months, this was the first time I was actually watching her do something.

I watched as she took a deep breath, looking over the safe.

"What model is it?" She asked no one in particular.

I heard some papers shuffling, then one of the cops said, "It's a Gem Vault, model…5920."

"What year was it installed?" She asked.

There was some more paper shuffling, "Eight years ago."

She nodded, as if she expected as much, but wanted to make sure.

She put a hand on the safe, sliding it over until she came to a spot two thirds of the way up and about a foot in from the left.

She took another deep breath and put her ear to the spot her hand was over.

We all watched, completely silent…or so I thought.

"Can whoever's tapping their foot stop." She said without looking up, or opening her eyes.

We all looked around, obviously not hearing what she did; until we spotted one person looking slightly ashamed.

Our eyes returned to Scarlet, her fingers were on the dial, turning it one 'click' at a time.

As much as I hated to admit it, it was fascinating; something that you just couldn't pull your eyes away from, even if you wanted to.

It took me a moment to realize that I was holding my breath as I watched her; I quickly let it 'whoosh' out.

It was a slow process, but no one was about to interrupt her.

She had switched the direction she was moving the dial twice, meaning that she had gone through two out of three of the digits, one more and she was in.

The only sound I could hear was my heart beating in my ears as I watched her. Her eyes were closed, a look of complete concentration captured on her face, it was impossible to tell if she was even breathing, her body was completely still, almost frozen.

It was obvious when she had it.

A small smile stretched on her face, and her eyes shot open, they were dancing with triumph.

She threw the door of the safe open as she stood up.

Everyone was speechless for a few moments, still in awe of what they had just witnessed.

She stepped back from the safe as all the officers crowded forward, anxious to see what she uncovered.

I was impressed, but didn't show it.

I was not about to admit that she had been helpful.

I watched as she stepped back and started observing quietly from the back of the room.

I tore my eyes away from her and advanced toward the now-open safe.

"So, what all's missing?" I asked to anybody who could answer.

They were pulling a few things out at a time, placing them on one of the few counters that weren't damaged.

There wasn't much left.

There were about five pieces left of what was probably originally fifty or more.

I grabbed a pair of latex gloves and stepped forward to the table.

I noticed Scarlet start to come forward in my peripheral vision and immediately sent her a look.

She stopped moving and held her hands up in surrender and went back to leaning against the wall; for once, listening to me.

I picked up one of the pieces; it was a diamond necklace, at least thirty karats, probably more. Definitely valuable.

"So why'd they leave it behind?" I said to myself.

"Maybe they ran out of time?" One of the cops answered anyways.

I heard Scarlet cough behind me, obviously disagreeing.

I ignored her.

"It's possible." I said, putting the necklace back down, "but we won't know for sure until we get more information."

I looked over the other pieces briefly, they weren't as valuable as the necklace, but they were still fairly nice.

"Alright, why don't we get CSU in here to dust everything down, see if we can get any prints off the countertops." I said, leaning up from the table and pulling off my rubber glove with a 'snap'.

They nodded at me and I started heading for the door.

Scarlet pushed herself off the wall she was leaning against and said, "That's it?"

"Yep." I said, walking past her out the door.

She hurried to catch up with me.

"Do you usually spend so little time at crime scenes?" She asked, confused.

"I like to get more facts until I start making theories." Was the only answer I gave her as I unlocked the car and got into the driver's seat.

I looked over and saw that my glove box was open, all the contents spilled out over the floor, I threw her a look.

She shrugged, "I needed to find something to pick the lock."

I rolled my eyes and put the car in drive.

* * *

**BPOV**

I sighed and rested my head in palm as I watched the downtown area rush by.

My eyes flickered over to Edward; his hands were tense as he gripped the wheel.

My eyes trailed up to his face to notice his jaw was tense as well.

His eyes glanced over to me and I looked away quickly.

It was obvious that he didn't want me here.

I didn't blame him.

He spent a majority of his FBI career trying to put me in jail, and even when he catches me, I get to essentially go free.

I decided not to bother him for the remainder of the car ride and soon we were pulling into the parking garage next to the FBI building.

He got out quickly and I had to hurry to follow him so that I wouldn't get locked in.

I followed him into the building, up to the same interrogation floor that I had been to previously.

Except this time, I wasn't the one being questioned.

"Where's the jewelry shop owner?" Edward asked one of the guards.

"Ummm…number three I believe." He said, pointing to one of the doors.

Edward thanked him and opened the door then walked inside, I made sure to keep up because I wasn't sure if he forgot I was there and would close the door before I got inside.

Apparently my thoughts of him forgetting I was there were wrong because he turned around and stopped me when I tried to go inside the actual interrogation room.

"No." He said.

I narrowed my eyes.

"Oh come on. I won't even say anything." I said.

"Great, then you don't even need to be in there at all, you can watch from out here." He said, gesturing to the observation room, where there was a single guard who was monitoring the recording system.

I ground my teeth together in frustration.

I was still glaring at him as I sat in one of the few seats. He took the earpiece that was handed to him and placed it in his ear. They were used so that he could talk to the guard out here if he needed to, without having to come out of the interrogation room.

He looked at me, "Stay." He said, pointing at me.

"You make sure she stays in here." He said, turning to the guard who nodded. I just glared harder.

He went inside the door to the interrogation room and I watched through the window that was the opposite side of a two-way mirror.

"Hello Mr. Carter." I heard Edward say, slightly muffled through the glass, "I'm Agent Cullen, the agent handling the case pertaining to the break in at your business."

"Am I under arrest?" Was the first thing the man said.

"Of course not, we're just talking; you're free to go at any time. We want to catch the people who did this just as badly as I'm sure you do. But to do that, we need your help." Edward said, the generic response for such a question.

I stood up from my seat and came closer to glass, getting a better look.

The man looked older then he probably was, probably mid-forties.

What amount of hair he had left was receding quickly and his face held a look that told me he was often pretentious. It bothered me.

"Alright, so what do you need?" He asked.

He was awfully calm and unworried for just having been robbed.

"We will need a list of all your merchandise so that we can determine what was stolen and we will also need a list of you employees and places where we can contact them." Edward said.

"Oh, of course. Yes, I was at home during the incident, my wife can corroborate." He said confidently.

I couldn't tell if he was lying exactly, but there was something about the way he said it that made me instantly suspicious. I was liking this man less and less.

"Okay, thank you." Edward said, "Could you tell me about your collection?"

"Well, a majority of the collection was crafted within the last ten years or so. Their value is quite substantial when put together." He said, rubbing his forehead with his index and thumb, showing the image of worry. I didn't believe it for a second.

"How substantial?" Edward asked, "Please, if you could at least estimate it would help us."

"Around four hundred and six thousand." Was his answer.

He didn't even pause. He didn't even have to think about the answer to that question, which meant that he expected it and had an answer ready. But the fact that he was that specific about the amount when he could have easily have said 'roughly five hundred thousand', was making me think he was hiding something.

I thought for a second, _'how could it be profitable for him if all of his jewels were stolen?'_

Then it hit me.

I quickly walked over to the guard who was controlling the recording leaned around him and pressed the microphone button.

"He did it! He's the one that did it!" I said into the microphone, knowing that Edward was hearing this in his ear.

The guard quickly tried to stop me, but I grabbed the microphone and ducked away, watching through the glass window.

Edward seemed to have no reaction.

"He's guilty!" I yelled louder into the microphone, still seeing no reaction from Edward. I wanted to pull my hair out or pound on the glass.

The guard was trying to grab the microphone back from me, but I kept him at bay with one hand and used the other to hold the microphone.

"Do any of your employees know about the amount that all of the jewels are worth?" Edward asked him. I gaped at the mirror; I couldn't believe he was just ignoring me.

"No Edward, it wasn't one of his employees, well he may have had one of them do it for him, but he's definitely guilty! Ask him how much insurance he had on the jewels! If he had all of the gems that were stolen insured, then the insurance company would have to pay the full amount they were insured for and then he could sell the actual jewels on the black market! I'm telling you he's-"

I watched as Edward ripped the earpiece out of his ear, effectively silencing my input.

I growled and glared at the back of Edward's head through the glass.

The guard snatched the microphone out of my hand and went back to his desk, throwing a mean look my way, but I was too busy glaring at the glass to notice.

He asked more pointless questions and received answers that were now obviously lies or half truths while I brooded from behind the glass.

About twenty minutes later he came out of the interrogation room and ignored my looks as he handed over the earpiece to the guard.

He opened the door leading out into the hall and stepped out, I followed behind, furious.

"Are you kidding me!?!" I yelled at his back as he walked down the hall.

He stopped and turned around; his expression was similar to my own.

"No! I'm not! Sorry, but I don't want someone screaming in my ear when I'm trying to ask someone questions!" He yelled back, taking a step toward me.

"Well, I wouldn't have had to scream in your ear if you had let me come inside!" I rebutted.

"I didn't want you inside! I don't even want you here at all!" He yelled back.

"That doesn't matter! He's guilty as hell and you're too stubborn to even consider that I might be right!" I yelled.

He laughed, but it wasn't because the situation was particularly funny, "You think that I don't know he probably did it!?!" He said.

That stopped my train of thought right in its tracks.

"Wait. What?" I asked, no longer yelling; thinking that I must have heard wrong.

"Yeah; it was one of the first thoughts that went through my head after he provided a perfect alibi when I didn't even ask for one. How could he have known what time the crime happened if he wasn't there and we didn't tell him?" He said, looking at me intensely.

I said nothing.

"See. I don't need you. I can solve the puzzles on my own, without your help." He said, giving me one last hard look to my silent face before turning around and continuing to walk down the hall, away from me.

"You're wrong." I said to his retreating back, stopping him.

He didn't turn around.

"So you can figure out why he did it all on your own. That's great. Until that's not enough. Tell me Edward, how many criminals have you seen walk because your case isn't strong enough against them?"

He turned around to look at me but didn't answer.

"You do need me. You need me because I can give you the one piece that's missing from your puzzle." I said as I started walking towards him until I was right in front of him.

"The how." I said, looking up at him.

"It's your job to find the motive; to find the 'why' within the crime. You need someone that can tell you how they did it. And unless you have someone else volunteering to tell you what the average width of an air conditioning vent is, or someone who knows what kind of micro laser you'd need to get inside a steel vault, I'm your only option, so you're just going to have to deal with it." I said, my eyes still narrowed as I walked past him, just as furious as before.

So far, this was **not** going the way I had imagined.

But there was no turning back.

* * *

**A/N: So, lots of reviews for that last chapter, I'm hoping to receive just as many for this chapter (hint hint). I'm really happy that so many people are enjoying this story so much. Many of you have asked, so I'm just going to make it official, 'Yes, I do watch White Collar'. You guys know what to do, press that green button and make me smile! :P**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT **

**EPOV**

I was sitting in the chair in my office, leaning back with my eyes closed, focusing on breathing in an attempt to calm my irritation.

_In…_

_Out…_

…

It wasn't working.

There was a knock on my door and I let out a breath of exertion and cracked one eye open.

Jasper poked his head in, silently asking for permission to enter.

"Come on in." I told him, gesturing with my hand and sitting up in my chair..

He came in the remainder of the way and plopped into the seat across from me.

"Anything I can help you with Jasper?" I asked, rubbing the sleepiness out of my eyes.

"Nah, I'm just hiding and avoiding the paperwork that's waiting on my desk. 'You mind?" He said.

I shook my head and he visibly relaxed.

He took in my demeanor and raised an eyebrow.

"So what's up with you? You look like crap." He said blatantly.

I narrowed my eyes at him before rubbing my brow.

"It's been a long morning, and my new _partner_ isn't exactly working out." I said, my anger once again rising.

"Well, the morning's not over yet. What's wrong with you and Scarlet?" He asked absentmindedly, looking at his fingernails.

"I don't want or need her here; she should be in prison." I said vehemently, my brow creasing.

He looked up, surprised by my tone, "Wow, I remember when you were practically obsessed with her. What happened to that side of you?" He asked.

I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Alright, I think you need to leave." I said instead of answering.

He looked as if he was going to argue, but saw my look and thought better of it.

"Alright, I'll talk to you later." He stood up from his chair and went over to the door.

He opened it to step out, but Scarlet was standing outside, her fist raised to knock.

I saw him smile and step to the side, "After you." He said, gesturing inside the room.

I rolled my eyes as she smiled at him and stepped into the room.

Her smile disappeared and a look of indignation overcame her face when she looked at me.

Without asking permission, she sat in the chair that Jasper just vacated.

"Yes?" I asked impatiently. It wasn't long ago that we had our argument and I was still feeling petulant. She obviously saw my expression and chose to ignore it.

"Listen, I know you're pissed and whatnot; but in order to close this case, we need to work together. So I was thinking that we might collaborate on how we might catch the damn jewelry store owner before he gets away with more money than you'd make in your career." She said, getting straight to the point.

I thought about what she said for a few moments before begrudgingly nodding and gesturing for her to talk.

"Alright, so we know that he has an alibi. Or so he says, we can neither prove it nor disprove it yet, but I'm going to go ahead and say that he didn't actually do it himself anyways, probably had one of his security personnel do it for him, but that's not the point. The point is, we need to somehow prove that all of the pieces that were stolen were insured." She said, all in one breath.

I nodded, thinking over everything she was saying, "That would explain why not all of the pieces were stolen, they may not have been insured by the same company or they weren't insured for as much money; but that may be our way in. Not exactly the smartest plan on his part."

She was nodding as well, a look of concentration on her face; her mind clearly turning.

"Well, there's got to be some record of that somewhere." She said.

"Well the insurance company definitely, but they've got so many privacy protection hoops we'd have to jump through that it would take months." I said, still deep in thought.

There was a moment of silence between us.

"And I take it stealing the document is out of the option…?" She asked, raising an eyebrow dubiously but slightly hopeful.

"Yes, stealing is definitely not an option." I said, throwing her a look, but silently wishing that it was an option, it would definitely make things easier. "But I might have another idea."

"Oh?" She asked, tucking her hair behind her ear and leaning forward, intrigued.

"I'm thinking that the bank might have a record; if he's as security paranoid as I think he is, then he probably doesn't trust his security or the insurance company enough to guard his documents." I reached over to a folder on my desk and started flipping through the papers, pulling out the one I wanted, "Yeah, see, here it is."

I held the paper out to her and she took it from my hand, I watched as her brown eyes flickered across it, before lighting up and looking at me.

"See, he has a safety deposit box; chances are he's got a copy of the form in there. We'll still need to get a warrant, but it'll be easier than any other way." I said.

"We can't just ask him? We didn't tell him that we were looking for his insurance list." She said.

"He already left a while ago since we didn't exactly have anything to hold him on. When he was here I asked him for a list of his inventory which he might also keep at the bank; if that list contains the info we're after then we better get to it before he can make it disappear." I said, getting up from my chair and grabbing my coat.

I walked past her to the door and opened it, pausing when I realized she wasn't behind me. I turned around to tell her to hurry up, only to see her looking over my office with curiosity.

"What's wrong?" I asked, still holding the door open.

"What happened to bulletin board completely dedicated to me? The last time I was in here this place was covered with every second of what you thought my life was." She said, turning and walking past me with that same damn smirk.

* * *

**BPOV**

I was sitting in the passenger seat of Edward's car as we sped toward the bank, warrant in hand.

He hadn't said anything to me in a while, I had a feeling that the anger was returning.

I looked over and saw his hands flexing where they gripped the steering wheel; I decided not to bother him for the moment.

He swung the car into a parking spot once we got there and got out of the car, to which I followed.

I trotted behind him as he walked inside and walked past the people in line to the counter, much to their protest.

He leaned over and flashed his badge, "Can I speak to the manager please?" He asked, a sense of urgency in his tone.

The man's eyes flickered to Edward's badge then he quickly told the customers to wait a moment and slipped into one of the back areas.

He came back with an older man who I assumed was the manager.

They both quickly came over; the manager didn't look too thrilled to see Edward.

"Hello, I'm agent Cullen with the FBI; I have a warrant to get into a safety deposit box." He said, reaching into the inside of his suit to pull out the piece of paper.

"And you are?" The manager asked me as he took the piece of paper from Edward.

"I'm his partner." I said, holding out my hand for him to shake.

"Actually she's a consultant on the case." Edward corrected, narrowing his eyes slightly at me.

The manager looked between us, obviously confused. I noticed the original bank worker go back to helping the line of customers.

"Regardless, do we have to do this right at this moment? You people come busting in here, disrupt our customers…" The manager began complaining and I quickly lost interest, positive that his ranting wasn't going to come to a stop anytime soon.

I turned around and leaned my back against the counter while Edward sorted it all out.

I was watching all the people come and go, many of whom were standing in multiple lines sown the entire length of the bank were checking their watches, obviously having somewhere better to be then standing in line at a bank.

I yawned, understanding their boredom.

Then there was a prickly feeling on the back of my neck. I didn't like it.

My gaze immediately started sweeping across the entire lobby, taking in every face, trying to pinpoint where the feeling was coming from.

My eyes traveled over the front door, then snapped back once my brain processed what I saw.

"Hey Edward…" I said, watching as two men came through the door.

"Edward." I said again, since the first time seemed to have no reaction.

He ignored me once again and I turned back around and shook his arm, saying his name one more time, my gaze still on the front of the bank.

"What!?" Edward said, finally turning to look at me.

"We may have a problem." I said, unfazed by his outburst.

"Listen, I'm going to go and see which vault this box is located and I'll be right back." Said the manager, oblivious to the small argument that Edward and I were having.

Edward nodded to him, and then turned to me once more.

"What are you talking about Scarlet? What is so important that you couldn't wait?" He said, throwing his arms up in frustration and looking at me, his eyes aflame.

I was getting really tired of him yelling at me.

I reached out gripped his shoulder and turned him around, pointing over his shoulder to the two men.

"Watch." I commanded, lowering my arm.

We both watched as the two men approached one of the workers at the counter at the far end of the bank, one who didn't have a customer.

We were both silent. My theory was confirmed as the two men started talking to the bank worker; soon a look of terror overcame his face and he began walking backwards.

They followed him toward the back room; the two mysterious men glanced around the lobby and Edward and I looked away quickly.

It didn't take a federal agent to figure out that something was terribly wrong.

"See." I said, he nodded. He had a slightly worried look on his face; I could tell his mind was spinning theories.

"Stay here." He said, his hand going to rest on his gun holster as he started walking toward the far end of the bank where the men just were.

"Screw that; I'm coming with you." I said, stepping forward.

I assumed that he thought about what happened the last time he tried to stop me from going somewhere, because he didn't say anything else and continued walking across the room.

"Here." He said, handing me his phone, "Call the bureau, tell them to send some people over now, but to keep it under the radar; if these guys are dangerous, we don't want to spook them and get someone hurt because they're most likely armed."

I nodded and flipped the phone open.

"We've got another problem." I said as I looked at the screen on the phone.

"What?" He asked.

I showed him the screen. No bars.

"They must have a cell blocker up." I said.

"How could they get their hands on one of those; their government issued." Edward asked.

I threw him a look, "You're kidding, right? Edward, if there's one thing you should know, it's that if you have enough money, you can pretty much get anything you want. Chances are, if they managed to take out the cell lines, they also managed to take out the land lines. The bank will figure it out soon enough, but the robbers will most likely be long gone before they figure out how."

"Damn it. How far do you think the cell blocker stretches?" He asked, his face getting more worried.

"Depends on the quality, could be anywhere between one hundred to seven hundred feet." I said, thinking it over in my head.

We were standing in front of the entrance to the back office area.

"So there's no help coming, and if you start flashing your badge they may begin hurting people until they get what they want, did I get that right?." I asked.

"Pretty much." He said.

"Great…" I said.

"Welcome to the other side of the law." Edward said without looking at me as he glanced around and started walking into the back area. A few people noticed him and tried to stop him, but they quickly went back to their work when he flashed his badge.

I followed behind him closely.

Edward didn't pull his gun out, he didn't want to scare all of the people working at the desks who had no idea what was going on; he was trying to keep the situation calm.

"It's a silent robbery." Edward said randomly.

I threw him a weird look as we continued walking.

"See, if they keep everyone in the building ignorant to what's happening except a few key people, then there's less chance of someone alerting the police and there's a greater chance of them getting away with it." He said.

We were getting past the offices and into the areas that contained the safes that held less valuable items, the vaults and major safes were below ground.

I thought for a second. Then I stopped.

"What are the chances that those two guys are after the same thing that we are?" I asked quietly, my eyes looking around. It was a mess of hallways and passages back here.

Edward stopped as well and looked at me; I could see his mind turning it over.

"Think about it; soon after we release the bank owner, the same bank that holds one of the only documents that could incriminate him is being robbed? If there's anything I've learned in crime, it's that there is no such thing as a coincidence."

"Well if they are after the same thing, then we better hurry." He said, quickening his pace after he thought over what I said.

We were now past the main offices and moving quickly and quietly, glancing around every second; there was no one in sight. Including the robbers.

Most of the desks and offices were empty because of what I assumed were large amounts of layoffs that the bank had been forced to have.

"So what happens when we catch up with them?" I asked, "It's not like you can take both of them by yourself."

"I'm working on it." He hissed, gesturing for me to be quiet.

We both froze when we heard some noise.

He drew his gun and held up a hand to tell me to stay put.

For once, I listened.

He slowly crept forward and looked around the corner quickly before coming back around.

"It's one of the guys; he's got the bank manager and the guy we saw him take back earlier. It looks like he's getting them to bypass the security to the elevator so that he can get down to the lower levels."

I nodded, it made sense.

We heard the elevator 'ding', followed by footsteps and the doors closing.

"Come on." Edward said, stepping around the corner.

I followed behind him.

"Will you put your gun away, it's making me edgy." I said.

He raised an eyebrow in question.

"What? You get enough guns pointed at you in your career and it doesn't take you long to not like them." I said absentmindedly without looking at him.

I was looking over the elevator they had just gone into, there were no vents around it.

'_damn'_

Edward was staring at me, a look I couldn't understand on his face.

"What?" I asked, tucking a stray hair behind my ear and turning to look at him.

He shook his head, "Nothing." The look was gone before I could figure out what it was.

"We couldn't go down through the elevator, even if we did have access. They'd see us coming and it would be no problem for them to get at us. We need to find another way in." I said.

"What other way in could there possible be?" he asked, following my gaze.

I chuckled, "Don't worry, if there's another way in, I'll find it." I said, looking at him over my shoulder as I continued walking down the hall.

I heard his footsteps behind me as I walked around, looking at all the walls until I finally spotted what I was looking for with a smile.

"Here." I said, pointing to a vent around the next corner above some empty cubicles.

"Here, what?" Edward said, coming up behind me.

"Here's our way in." I said, turning to see him looking at me with a look of disbelief.

* * *

**EPOV**

She had to be joking.

There was no way.

"Find me something to unscrew the bolts." She said, still looking at the vent.

I grumbled something incomprehensible and went looking, I started rifling through drawers. She obviously didn't think I was going fast enough because soon she was searching with me.

"So, why aren't we just waiting until they come back up, there's only one exit." She asked.

"Because, chances are they want to destroy the document as soon as possible, and leave no witnesses…" I replied, letting her understand my meaning.

We were searching through drawers quickly, trying to find anything to open the vent.

"Here!" She said, holding up a pair of scissors.

We ran quietly back over to the vent, she handed me the pair of scissors since I was taller and could more easily reach the vent.

She stood back and watched.

I set to work, my arms straining as I attempted to unscrew it.

"There's something about what you said that's bugging me…" I heard her say from behind me as I continued working.

"Oh yeah? What's that?" I asked gruffly as I forced the first screw out.

"You said that you saw one guy taking the two bank employees down, right?" She asked, her voice trailing off.

"Yeah...?" I responded, not sure where she was going; I set to work on the next screw.

'_come on.' _I thought to myself, the second screw wasn't budging. Then my mind caught up with what she said.

"Wait a second…" I started.

I heard her quick intake of breath behind me and was about to turn around when there was a loud shatter above my head, my legs were taken out from under me and I was tackled to the ground.

My breath was knocked out of me and it took me a moment to think clearly, trying to stop everything from swirling before my eyes.

I could feel Scarlet's body still on top of me from where she tackled me to the ground. "Well, I guess we found the second robber." She said gruffly.

I took me a few moments to regain my thoughts through the overwhelming scent of freesia as some of her hair swept across my face.

I opened my eyes to discover her brown ones about an inch from my own.

She rolled off of me before I could say anything and I was able to think clearly once again, the freesia now no longer clouding everything; my mind sprang into action.

I pulled out my gun and began army crawling around the cubicle, away from the direction of the gunfire.

"Stay behind me." I whispered, looking over my shoulder, but she was already crawling in the opposite direction.

"Scarlet!" I hissed, but it was useless.

"Damn it!" I whispered to myself angrily.

'_If she gets shot, I swear to god…'_

I poked my head around the corner of the cubicle, and heard two more shots go off; I pulled my head back quickly.

He was using a silencer, most likely to avoid alerting anyone in the front of the bank.

I heard a lot of shuffling and stood up quickly, but hunched over to remain covered.

'_What the hell is going on?'_

* * *

**BPOV**

I crept around the spot where the gunfire came from. It would be easier to get an advantage from behind. Well, at least that was what I thought.

I finally saw him; he was looking over to where Edward was still crouching.

Honestly I didn't know how Edward managed to live through gun fights before; there was no way he was going to be able to get a shot off from the angle he was at.

Lucky for him, he had me.

The robber was about ten feet in front of me, his back turned.

I was going to start creeping forward slowly so that I could get a better advantage, maybe surprise him; but he started walking toward the corner that Edward was crouching behind, his gun pointed forward.

'_Oh damn'_ I thought to myself; my plan going out the window.

I needed to do something quickly, Edward had no idea that the guy was coming. I grabbed the first thing I could get my hands on, a stapler, and threw it.

As I was diving to the side, I saw my throw hit its mark, followed by the robber letting out a string of curses.

There was the sound of gunfire where I had previously been standing.

I was now under one of the desks, out of sight.; but it wasn't exactly fort Knox and I doubted I could defend myself for long.

'_Alright, so maybe not one of my smarter ideas.'_ I thought to myself, as I tried to avoid hitting my head.

I heard his footsteps getting louder, heading in my direction.

My mind was spinning ideas; formulating plans on how to best handle the situation.

Turns out I didn't have to, because soon there was another pair of heavy footsteps, followed by the sounds of a struggle.

'_Edward! Of course, as soon as I stop the robber from coming towards him, he runs right back into the line of fire.' _I grumbled.

I pulled myself out from under the desk and found them in a fierce fight. Edward had the guy's hand that was holding the gun by the wrist and was holding it up to avoid being shot while he used his other arms to block and punches that were coming his way.

I ran forward, my instincts taking over.

I kneed the guy in the groin and brought my elbow down hard on a pressure point on his upper back when he was doubled over. He collapsed to the floor in pain.

Edward grabbed his arm and bent it back at an awkward angle until he couldn't help but let the gun drop to the ground where I snatched it up.

Edward wasted no time in handcuffing him to one of the desk legs.

When he was finished he bent over and rested his hands on his knees, slightly breathless; I noticed a black eye forming on his face.

"What the hell were you thinking!?!" He yelled at me, his eyes narrowed.

"What was _I _thinking? What were _you _thinking? Who the hell runs at someone with a gun?" I responded.

"Well I wouldn't have had to if you hadn't acted stupidly and left in the first place!" He said snatching the gun out of my hand with narrowed eyes.

I had to stop the retort that was slipping from the tip of my tongue and instead said,"We don't have time to argue right now, we still have to get downstairs before they destroy that document." I said, and I watched his eyes widen in realization.

We ran over and Edward resumed his task of pulling the screws out of the vent; adrenaline was still pulsing through both of us so he managed to pull them out quickly.

We were running out of time, it wouldn't be long before the other robber downstairs found what we were both looking for and got rid of it.

"Come on come on." I urged.

Soon he was ripping off the screen, and handing it to me to place on the ground.

"How do you know this even leads to the basement?"

"Because it's underground; which means that air doesn't naturally flow through there, they need to bring it in through vents." I said, already looking for something to boost myself up.

He noticed what I was doing and linked his fingers together.

"Here." He said.

"Thanks." I said, placing my foot on his linked hands and propelled myself up; climbing into the vent with ease.

There wasn't much room to move around, but there was enough for me to realize that Edward was not behind me.

"Is there a problem?" I called over my shoulder.

I heard him grumble something before there was a lot of noise followed by him scrambling to pull himself up.

With great effort and slight amusement on my part, he finally got inside.

"You okay?" I asked over my shoulder.

He grumbled some more, I heard something along the lines of a thief having negative effects on him and how he wouldn't have to do this if I was here.

"There has to be a better way to do this." I heard him grumble behind me as we started crawling forward.

"Yeah, probably." I admitted, and I heard him stop moving as he processed what I said, "But this way's more fun."

"Remind me to shoot you when we get out of here." He said.

I chuckled quietly to myself.

The vent was sloping downward and was getting more difficult to go slowly.

We finally reached a part that was completely vertical.

It took Edward a second longer before he saw it.

"How the hell are we supposed to get down that without breaking our ankles?" He said.

I looked over my shoulder, my face automatically forming its natural smirk, "Watch and learn."

* * *

**EPOV**

I watched as she expertly slid forward, the epitome of ease.

She placed both of her palms on the sides of the vent and tucked her body under so that she was going down feet first.

She bent her right knee so that the bottom of her shoe was pressed against the back side of the vent, inducing friction.

Instead of doing the same with her left knee she tucked it into her chest and pressed the bottom of her foot against the opposite side. This way she had some amount of support on every side of the vent. Hands on the sides, and one foot on the front and one on the back.

Then, slowly but quietly she began sliding down; pressing her feet against the side harder when she needed to slow down.

It was mesmerizing the way she was able to do it all without a sound, using pure muscle and friction to keep her body from falling.

I was knocked out of my gaping when she said, "You better not be staring at my ass."

I shook my head to clear it, realizing that that is exactly what I had been doing.

With a deep breath, I followed after her; thinking that I must be insane the entire time.

* * *

**BPOV**

We got to the bottom, not without many curses on Edward's part, and there was enough room for me to turn back over so that I was on my stomach again.

Edward followed suit.

We reached the end of the vent and I looked through the slits to make sure the coast was clear before turning over and kicking it out with my feet.

I jumped out and landed softly on the floor seven feet below.

I turned around and watched Edward attempt to do the same, but didn't quite succeed.

I shushed him when he made some noise, rolling my eyes when he finally seemed to stand up right.

"Come on." I whispered. We were standing in a room that served as a lobby to the safes and vaults, there were different doors leading out to different ones.

I listened hard.

There was noise coming from the doors on the left.

I looked at Edward and he had a similar look on his face, he heard it too.

He drew his gun once again; I gave it an unhappy look, the edginess returning. But I guess it was necessary.

We started walking towards where the noise was coming from.

It was around a corner, there was a large vault door cracked open about a foot.

"Where is it!?!" We heard a guy who I assumed was the robber, yell.

Edward motioned for me to get behind him, I complied and he started edging forward.

"How am I supposed to know? You dragged both of us down here without telling me what you were looking for; all of the records are stored upstairs on the ground level." Came a quivering voice who I assumed belonged to the manager.

'_Well, at least we know one of them is still alive.'_ I thought to myself.

I looked at Edward, the look on his face giving away that he was debating about what was the best way to handle the situation.

This was taking too long, we were wasting time.

I had a plan. Edward wasn't going to like it.

* * *

**EPOV**

"Edward, I'm going to need you to follow my lead." She whispered in my ear from behind, her voice unknowingly sultry.

I had to shake my head to get rid of the effect, "What are you talking about?" I whispered back, my mind finally returning to what it was thinking before she invaded my mind.

"Just…follow my lead, I've got an idea." She whispered and strode past my left shoulder.

My mind finally caught up with her movements, _'Damn it!'_ I thought as I tried to reach for her to drag her back but she was already out of reach, my fingers closed on air.

I did a small mental debate, finally deciding to follow after her because I didn't have much of a choice.

'_I swear to god, if she gets one of us shot I'm going to kill her.'_ Was the only thought going through my mind as I took a deep breath and followed her into the vault, trying to slow my erratic heartbeat.

I took in the room quickly as I took the few strides to catch up with Scarlet, holding my gun strategically hidden behind my back, but in a way that didn't look completely obvious.

There were safety deposit boxes busted open everywhere, their contents spewed all across the room, papers and boxes scattered everywhere. The robber was pointing the gun at the manager who was rifling through one of the safety deposit boxes. I looked around for the other bank worker that he took down as well and swallowed hard when I spotted him. He was sitting in the corner clutching his leg which was obviously wounded. He looked like he was doing as well as anyone in his situation could be, his face was pale and sweating; he was probably close to passing out. Scarlet's plan had better work, or there were going to be a lot more injuries.

I returned my gaze to her, hoping that she knew what she was doing.

"Hey!" She called out, immediately gaining the attention of everyone in the room.

The robber swung his gun up and pointed it directly at her with a surprised face, his eyes slid to me for a second.

The muscles I was using to hold my gun flexed, instinctively wanting to raise it.

"Who the hell are you and how the hell did you get down here!?!" He yelled in our general direction.

The bank manager had noticed us, his eyes widening as he stopped what he was doing.

The robber noticed this and looked at him, "Keep looking!" before returning his attention to Scarlet, who had taken a step closer without him noticing.

"Who I am doesn't matter. What does matter is that you chose a bad day to come to this bank. See, I planned this day out for months, and then what do I find when I get here, some punk ass wannabe bank robber who is way over his head in a heist, messing up my own plans." Scarlet said, circling around, looking entirely at ease. She was completely in her element.

He narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"You were going to rob this bank?" He asked, unbelieving, taking in her small frame no doubt.

'_She's tougher then she looks buddy.' _I thought to myself, remembering the bruised jaw she gave me when we first met.

I noticed her raise an eyebrow in challenge. "Yes, but now that I see that I have to deal with you; maybe we can help each other." she suggested, a smile on her face that I was sure had swayed greater opponents in the past, making their efforts just as futile as his were soon sure to be. "I was in one of the other vaults, one digit away when I hear you come crashing in. I'm not about to risk getting caught because of you."

"Who's he?" The guy asked, his gun still raised but gesturing to me.

She didn't even have to hesitate "He's nobody, just some extra muscle in case I needed it. You have two choices here, one: You step aside and let me get on with what I came here to do. Or two: You can end up like your buddy upstairs." She said, ice lacing her words as they played the effect she intended.

I saw his eyes widen a fraction before he quickly concealed it, but not quickly enough, "May I remind you that I'm the one holding the gun here." He said, emphasizing his point by raising it level with her head, trying to regain control over the situation.

I couldn't stop the instincts that took over when my arm raised of its own accord and I pointed my own gun at him in a flash.

Scarlet didn't even have to look back at me to know that I had drawn my gun.

"Easy, we're just talking here. No need for your male egos to get in the way of my payday." She said, subtly taking another step closer. She was trying to close the distance between them.

His eyes were flicking back and forth between both Scarlet and me, unsure where to keep them, finally deciding on Scarlet.

"I'm only here for one thing, once I've got it, I'm out of here." He said.

"Oh? And how am I supposed to know you aren't just going to run to the police? Leaving me here to deal with the mess you made." She said, gesturing to the injured bank worker.

She was stalling.

But he didn't seem to have a plausible answer for that.

The bank manager was still looking through all the papers in a particular box, too nervous and afraid to really pay attention to what they were talking about.

There was a moment of silence that left me wondering what Scarlet had left up her sleeve.

My eyes flickered between her and the robber.

"I know what you're after." She said.

His gaze snapped back to her, his expression dubious, but his eyes gave away his alarm.

"It's not there anymore. Your boss set you up." She said, spinning the story on the spot. I would be lying if I said I wasn't impressed.

He laughed.

"You don't believe me? Think about it. You're a loose end; he had you steal the jewels from his store, and now he needs a fall guy. So then he sends you here to 'destroy the evidence', when in actuality he's setting you up to be caught. The feds swoop in, find you busting into his safety deposit box and bam, you're in lockup for twenty years give or take." She said; her tone so convincing that even I was slightly swayed.

I could see the hint of self doubt in his eyes; Scarlet noticed it too and pounced on it.

"Actually, now that I think about it, I should probably be going. Thanks to you, the feds are probably on their way here now. Well, that is if they're not here already…" She said, a thoughtful look on her face.

She had him.

And she knew it.

She just had to finish him off, push him over the edge-

"I found it!" Yelled out the bank manager, holding a piece of paper up triumphantly, unaware of what was really happening around him.

'_Uh oh.'_

It only took a second for the robber to work things out and figure out that Scarlet had been lying.

He turned his head for a second to look at the paper.

Scarlet dove in, taking the only opportunity she had left.

Quicker then I could have imagined possible, she managed to make her elbow connect with his stomach and gripped the wrist of the arm that was holding the gun with tremendous force and pointing it up.

Before I could jump in to help her, she swept one of her legs around and kicked the back of his knee, effectively collapsing the joint.

It was pretty much all downhill for him from there.

Both the manager and I watched in stunned amazement as she managed to bend his arm back until he released the gun; using the same move that I used on the first robber. She kicked it out of the way and applied force to a pressure point on his palm, making his face contort in pain.

"Could I possibly get some help over here?" She yelled to me.

I shook off the impressed expression and quickly jumped forward, pulling out my secondary pair of cuffs and snapping them on. She released her hold on him and stepped back, not even slightly out of breath, even though she just took down a guy three times her size.

"Thanks for the help." She said sarcastically.

"Well, it didn't exactly look like you needed it." I said, my mind replaying the scene already.

She seemed to remember something and didn't respond, instead she turned and quickly went over to the injured bank worker, taking off her jacket and tying it around his leg to cut off the blood flow; talking to him in a low voice.

I heard movement behind me and turned to look at the manager who was also watching her.

"That's some partner you got there." He said.

I looked back at Scarlet.

"Yeah, I suppose she is…"

* * *

**A/N: First off, I would like to apologize a hundred fold for the lack of updates over the past few weeks. My schedule is currently trying to kill me and I literally have no time to write whatsoever; I'm lucky I managed to get this chapter done. So please be patient, I really am trying hard to find time to write so that I can get more chapters out there, but don't be surprised if it takes me a little while. But other than that, let me know what you think of the chapter! :P**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT **

**EPOV**

The bank was now filled with movement. To my left a paramedic was tending to the injured bank worker. On my right another agent was taking the bank manager's statement.

The rest of the space was filled with a flurry of activity, people in FBI windbreakers passing left and right.

The last bits of adrenaline were passing out of my system and I could feel myself on the verge of a crash.

I looked at the paper in my hand; we would have no problem convicting the jewelry store owner now. I tucked it safely away inside the flap of my suit.

I ran a hand through my unruly hair, trying to give order to chaos but failing; leaving it in the same uncontrollable mess.

"Hey, we get coffee breaks, right?" Came Scarlet's voice from behind me.

I turned to look at her, the only sign of weariness was the loss of spark in her eyes, but something told me that it could be back in a flash if she needed.

"Yeah, I know a place we can go." I said, chuckling as I thought of the perfect place.

* * *

Twenty minutes later I pushed open the door to my usual coffee shop, inhaling the familiar smell of fresh ground coffee beans with a smile.

"Hey Eddie!" Mike called from the other side of the counter when he noticed me.

"I've told you before Mike, its Edward. Never Eddie." I stated, feeling like a broken record.

He shrugged in a way that made me think he didn't actually hear me. I held back my sigh of frustration.

Scarlet stepped out from behind me and I noticed a look appear in Mike's eyes.

"Mike, this is-"

"I know, I know, you're going to say she's not your partner and that I shouldn't trust her and all that stuff." He started, adding in hand motions for emphasis. I was surprised that he was actually able to remember what I told him last time I was in here.

I coughed. "Actually, this time she is my partner." I said with slight awkwardness, rubbing the back of my neck.

He had a look on his face that made it seem as if he were waiting for me to tell him I was joking.

"Just…call me Scarlet." She said, trying to break the moment by giving him a small smile.

He smiled again, no trace of his previous expression, obviously delighted that she was talking to him. I rolled my eyes at his quick change in mood.

I distinctly recalled that the last time she was here she stole video tapes, and the time before that she rebuffed all of his attempts, yet here he was, trying harder than ever to keep her attention.

"So, what can I get you, besides my number?" He asked her, even though I was standing in front of the line.

I rolled my eyes for the second time. I stepped to the side so that she could approach the counter and order.

She placed a finger on her lips, tapping them, and looked at the menu above his head, presumably looking over her options.

Both Mike's and my own eyes were immediately drawn to her lips, mesmerized by the small action.

I snapped my eyes away once I realized I was staring, but the smirk that was on her face showed that she had seen me.

Mike was still staring shamelessly, not quite up to speed.

"I'll take a medium mocha." She said, going for something sweeter then I usually cared for.

We both watched as Mike blinked a few times before realizing that she had spoken. He jumped and started scribbling the order down on a cup.

"I'll take the usual Mike." I said, slapping the correct amount of money on the counter.

He nodded quickly and started getting to work on our orders, his eyes flicking back to Scarlet a few times as she looked for a good place to sit.

I coughed when he stared at her for an unusually long amount of time, he looked up at me, the look I threw him made his eyes widen and then he seemed to become very focused on making the drinks.

I turned around and let my gaze float around the room, finally spotting Scarlet towards the back of the café.

Whether she did it consciously or not she had chosen the only spot that was away from windows, facing the front door, and sitting so that she had her back to the wall.

I chuckled, '_I guess some habits are harder to break then others'_

She was sitting back in the comfortable armchair with her feet propped up on the coffee table in front of her. I sat on the worn out leather couch across from her.

I was now dead tired, the adrenaline from before now completely gone. I rested my elbow on the arm of the chair and propped my chin up.

I blinked my eyes slowly, then opened them and looked at Scarlet.

Her brown eyes were looking at me critically, there was definitely some complicated thought turning behind them.

"What?" I asked, raising one eyebrow.

She looked at me for one more moment before shaking her head and looking away, "Nothing."

She started chewing on her bottom lip. My eyes were drawn to it again.

A few moments ticked by in silence.

"Hey, do you ever do undercover operations?" She asked, shaking me from my staring.

I coughed; if she saw me staring she didn't say anything, "Sometimes, but not often. That's more the organized crime division."

She nodded as if she expected as much, "Why?" I asked her.

She shrugged, "I don't know, I think it might be fun. Definitely something I would be good at." She smiled, side of her lip pulling up ever so slightly.

"Hey Eddie, your drinks are ready." I heard Mike call over from the counter.

I decided to let the Eddie thing slide for once and went to grab the drinks.

I thanked Mike and walked back to my seat, handing Scarlet her drink across the table, she uttered a small thank you, barely audible.

I watched her sip her mocha modestly over the top of my drink.

Satisfied, she leaned back again in her chair.

"So, what made you want to become a federal agent?" She asked, catching me off guard.

I shrugged, thinking it over. "I'm not really sure; it just seemed like the right choice for me." I said, taking a long swig of my coffee, smiling in satisfaction.

"Do FBI agents always drink coffee? I can't think of a time I've seen you when you didn't have some in your hands." She asked.

"What is this, twenty questions?" I asked with a small smile.

She shrugged, surprising me, "Sure, why not?"

I thought it over for a few moments, I had to admit that I was slightly intrigued, "Alright, on one condition, we switch off, ten each."

I watched her face but there was no change in expression, her natural expression a poker face. "Alright, but I don't have to answer any I don't want to." She said, carefully laying down a defense.

"Deal." I said, allowing myself a small smile.

'_This should be interesting.'_

"So, to answer your question, yes. FBI agents always drink coffee." I said, taking a sip of my own for emphasis. "Alright, my turn."

"Shoot." She said, gesturing for me to talk.

I thought for a moment, "I know it's not your real name, so why call yourself Scarlet?"

For a second I thought she was going to refuse to answer, but she surprised me, as usual.

"Well, besides the fact that it's a name, the color scarlet is usually affiliated with fire, and is generally the color for passion…" She said, examining her fingernails which were painted scarlet. Her voice was low, sultry, a voice that could draw in whoever was listening, whether they wanted to be drawn in or not.

"Besides," She said abruptly, breaking the spell, "It rolls off the tongue better then crimson or maroon. Alright, my turn." She said, her voice slightly excited.

I braced myself for the worst.

"What was the first thought that went through your mind when you saw me for the first time on the roof of the BYS insurance building?" She said, tucking her feet underneath herself like an excited toddler.

I thought about it for a second, remembering back to that night. We had both been standing on the roof; she had been wearing a hood…

"Oh, that's the time you jumped off the roof." I said.

"Well…one of them." She said, making me wonder how many times she had done it overall.

"I think the first thing that went through my head was… 'Holy shit, the thief is a girl.'" I said after thinking about it for a moment, smiling at the memory.

She returned the smile and it immediately brightened her face, highlighting her natural beauty.

If she had any thoughts about my answer to her question, she didn't voice them.

Now it was my turn.

I thought over all the questions running through my mind, grasping the one that I wanted to ask.

"Where did you learn to fight?" I asked, truly curious. She fought better than most FBI agents, though I wasn't about to tell her that.

"I've had a few good teachers in my time." She answered vaguely, her eyes distant.

I raised an eyebrow at her attempt to dodge the question, but let it slide.

She got a faraway look in her eyes and there were a few long moments of silence as I watched her.

"It's your turn." I said, stirring her from her thoughts, her eyes returning to the present.

"Right, ummm…ever been married?" She asked, taking another sip of her drink.

The question threw me off guard, "No. That's a strange question to ask." I responded, still trying to figure out her logic.

She shrugged, "You seem like the type." She said, leaving me with more questions than answers.

"Wait, what is that supposed to mean?" I asked.

She smirked, "Is that your next question?"

"No. Nevermind, let me think for a second." I had to choose my questions carefully, I wasn't sure when the next time would be that I would get an opportunity like this..

I still had a million questions, but I was pretty sure that she wouldn't answer a majority of them. Then I had it. I looked at her and smiled.

"Were you the one on the motorcycle?" I asked blatantly, looking her directly in the eye; I was pretty sure I already knew the answer but I wanted to see her reaction.

She stared right back, her brown eyes giving nothing away.

"What motorcycle?"

A smile slowly crept onto my face as I continued to look her directly in the eyes.

She was good. But she had given me the answer I had expected.

'_Well, I guess to be a good thief; one has to naturally be a good liar.'_

"Is that your next question?" I asked, feeling the discussion tip in my favor.

"No." She said quickly, she stared at her coffee as she thought over her next question.

It was a few more moments before she spoke.

"Ever been in love?" she asked quietly, looking up at me, her question seeming to hang in the silence between us.

"You already asked me if I've been married." I responded, slightly confused by her choice of question.

"Love and marriage aren't mutually inclusive." She said, and for some reason I got the feeling that there was more story behind that claim.

"I suppose…" I said.

"So? Have you?" She asked, sitting cross legged on her chair. She circled the rim of her coffee cup as she waited for me to respond.

"No. Not as far as I can tell anyways." I said, finally answering her question after running through my past.

She nodded, almost as if to herself.

"What about you?" I asked, making her glance up from her coffee cup.

"Have I ever been in love?" She asked, though I was positive that she had heard correctly.

I nodded.

She leaned back with a sigh, her mind delving into her past.

"I thought I was at the time." She said cryptically.

There was a pause.

"But now?" I asked, well aware that I was asking a second question, not sure if she would answer.

"Now?…no, I don't think it was." She confessed, covering her lapse in composure by taking a long sip of coffee.

I didn't know what to think about what she told me, I decided to store away that information for later.

"Why were you so averse to having me for a partner?" She asked, changing topics completely. I let her.

"Well," I sighed, trying to find the best way to word it, "I guess it was because after chasing you for so long, watching you get away scot free made me angry."

"Well, I wouldn't say scot-free, I'm practically handcuffed to you." She said with a small laugh, brightening the solemn mood hanging in the air. I couldn't help but laugh as well, the sound was contagious.

I glanced at my watch, "Alright, last question for right now, we can pick up where we left off later." I said once I realized that I had been away from work for too long already.

"Go for it." She said with a small smile, wondering what I would ask.

I thought for a moment, choosing my last question carefully.

"Why won't you tell me your real name? I mean, I understand not giving up your full name, but why not just your first?" I leaned forward, anxious to hear her answer.

She sighed, making me think that she had been asked the question before and that it had a complicated answer.

Her change in facial expressions gave away that she was trying to figure out the right wording in her head.

After a few moments of hesitation she spoke, "You have to remember that my world is different than yours. Names and identities are used up and discarded like tissues; I'm constantly changing who I am and what I do as necessary. And once my mask has had its use, it's discarded, never to be used again for fear of recognition. I haven't used my real name in a long time…" She concluded quietly before abruptly rising from her seat and throwing away her now empty coffee cup, not wanting to face whatever she thought I was going to say.

She needn't have worried, I had no clue what to say.

It was definitely not the answer I was expecting.

Part of me, the federal agent part, wondered if the reason she hid her true identity had anything to do with the person she thought she had loved.

I was still thinking over my theory when she returned and began digging in her small bag for something.

Rather than saying my first theory, I voiced another, "So, I'll probably never get to hear it then." I said, not sure whether I was asking a question as I looked up at her.

I watched as her hands stopped their movements.

"No. Probably not." She said without looking at me as she grabbed her bag and walked away toward the door.

* * *

**BPOV**

Edward was driving away from the café, the remnants of his coffee sitting in the cup-holder.

I tapped my fingers without a beat on the arm rest, while I listened to him talk on the phone, only hearing half of the conversation.

"Yeah." He said, "Got it."

I sighed.

"Alright. Bye." He concluded, snapping his phone shut.

"New case?" I asked, breaking the silence between us.

He shook his head, but kept his eyes on the road, "No, but I have to stop at the office to turn in some case paperwork and talk to Aro."

I continued to drum my fingers absentmindedly; my eyes glanced over to Edward.

My eyes drifted from his hands where they gripped the steering wheel, to his forearms where the trace of strong muscles were present through his rolled up shirt sleeves.

My eyes continued their journey to his face. I glanced at his eyes to make sure he didn't notice me looking but his they were still on the road, his mind somewhere else.

His hair was a copper-brown sort of color that seemed to be in constant disarray, almost like he just rolled out of bed.

His jaw was strong and covered in a light scruff that was from a lack of shaving.

I looked at his eyes last; they were an extremely deep green, with a few gold specks that were only visible when the sunlight crossed his face through the windshield.

"Are you planning on staring at me for the entire car ride?" He said, startling me even though I didn't show it.

"Maybe." I said with a slight smirk, but turned my attention to the front, watching trees and buildings fly by.

I noticed him glancing at me a few times, probably wondering why I had been staring at him and if I was going to say anything else on the matter.

When I didn't, he kept driving in silence and eventually pulled into the parking garage next to the bureau.

We both got out and he locked the car with a 'beep'.

I walked a step behind him as we headed towards the front entrance to the FBI building. I watched his gait, putting it to memory.

I often did this for any future reference I may need. People could easily put on disguises, but most forget that the way they walk can easily give them away.

It's a great advantage when you're trying to follow someone, being able to pick them out by their stride rather than their face can be useful.

I was so busy counting his strides that I nearly missed the sight of a very familiar face sitting on the bench in front of the bureau, reading a newspaper inconspicuously.

"Hey, since you're not going to be long, I'm just going to wait out here for you." I told Edward, gesturing toward the area around the bench.

He threw me a suspicious look.

"Really? If I was going to choose a moment to run away, I think I could do better than right in front of the FBI building." I said, raising one eyebrow.

"Alright, but you better be right here when I get back. If you cross the street and set off alarms, I'm not coming to your rescue." He said in a warning that I didn't listen to, as I was already walking toward the bench.

I glanced over my shoulder to make sure he had gone inside before I sat on the bench.

She was covering her face with the newspaper, which I knew she wasn't actually reading.

I didn't look at her; I pretended to be watching the cars passing by.

"How did you find out?" I asked into the open air.

She ruffled the paper, but didn't move it.

"You're not the only one with resources." She said, her tone not giving away any of her emotions.

I nodded but didn't say anything.

I was waiting for her to speak up; I knew she was here for a reason.

A few moments passed without her saying anything, I decided to speed the process up.

"Well… I should go." I lied, beginning to get up.

The paper came down abruptly.

"How the hell could you not have told me!?!" She yelled, attracting the attention of the pedestrians passing by.

I smiled and regained my seat, happy to have finally brought out the reaction I was expecting.

I looked at Alice for the first time, "What would you have done if I had told you?"

I could see her struggling with the answer, her mouth opening to speak multiple times.

"I would have tried to talk some sense into you and stop you from being an idiot." She finally said with a glare.

I chuckled at her expression, "Well, there's no turning back now." There wasn't much humor in the situation.

She ran a hand over her brow, as if coming to terms with the situation we were both in and sighed.

"Are you going to tell me why you did it?" She asked in a voice that made me sad that I had made her worried. I wasn't used to the idea of having a friend and having to think about the hurt I may be causing.

I sighed and sat back the bench, looking forward again.

"There's something I need to do, and this is the only way I can do it." Was the only explanation I would give her.

Trust was still something that I had not quite accomplished.

She seemed to understand that this was the only explanation she was going to get out of me and nodded to herself.

Then she stopped and got a look in her eye.

"Are you sure it's not just because you want to get close to a certain federal agent?" She asked with a coy smile.

I glared at her.

"I'm not going to dignify that question with a response." I said. She continued on, paying no heed to my glare.

"Wait. Does that mean you're..?" She asked.

I didn't know what she was talking about, and threw her a confused look.

She looked at me for a second then her eyes widened, "Oh I knew it! You totally are!!!" She was smirking.

I didn't like it.

"Are what?" My eyes were still narrowed but confused.

She just held her smirk. Then it clicked and I understood what she was insinuating.

"Oh my god, you need to get your head out of the gutter." I told her.

She just continued smirking, the expression of someone who knew they had won the argument or thought they figured something out.

I sighed, "Okay, if you can stop smirking for a second, I need your help."

After a few moments to bring her expressions under control, she looked at me, her expression completely serious except for a small look in her eye that I would let slide for the moment.

"Alright, what do you need?" She asked, excited.

"There are a few things I need you to grab from my house." I said.

"Name it." She said.

I told her everything I needed, including the codes she would need to get by my security.

I wasn't worried about her stealing anything. The security for everything valuable was much stronger.

She finished writing down everything I needed and I glanced over my shoulder.

"You should go." I said, knowing that Edward would be out here any second.

She knew what I was worried about and smirked as she stood up.

"I'll pick the stuff up, but then we really 'got to talk." She said.

I glanced over my shoulder again, this time my worries confirmed as I saw Edward approaching the glass door from the other side.

Alice looked at him with the same smirk then back at me.

"Have fun." She said suggestively, to which I narrowed my eyes.

She walked down the marble steps and melted into the flow of pedestrians.

I turned around when I heard his footsteps behind me.

* * *

**EPOV**

I walked over to the bench where Scarlet told me she would be, half surprised that she was still there.

She turned around when I was a couple steps behind her.

She had a flushed look on her face, which was gone as soon as I noticed it.

"Are you ready?" I asked her, gesturing with my thumb back toward the parking garage.

She shook herself a little and tucked a hair behind her ear, "Yeah." She stood up, "So do we have a new case?"

I shook my head, "No, Aro wants us to go get a physical workout." I said absentmindedly as I pulled my keys out of my pocket.

I could have sworn I saw her blush before I turned around immediately making me curious about what her thoughts were circulating around.

* * *

**BPOV**

I followed behind Edward with only a few steps between us.

He pushed open the front door to the gym, forgetting I was behind him and letting it swing closed, nearly hitting me in the face.

"Whoops, sorry. I keep forgetting that I'm not traveling alone anymore." He said, holding the door open.

"Mhhmm." I responded doubtfully, sliding past him.

He followed behind me and placed his hand on the small of my back, leading me inside.

"Right, so I'm going to go get changed and then I'm going to head over to the warm-up area, feel free to do whatever you want." He said looking around before returning his gaze to me.

"Alright, I'll find something to do." I said, slightly happy that I was getting some amount of freedom. I had a small smile on my face and rocked back and forth on my heels as I watched him walk away.

The bureau had provided me with a set of workout clothes that included a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, both labeled with the FBI logo; I quickly went and got changed.

I was excited to get a workout, I hadn't gotten much exercise lately and it would be good to get my heart rate up.

I passed the treadmills and bikes without a second glance and headed straight for the back area that contained the boxing and wrestling rings.

There was a group of about a dozen or so circled around one guy who was talking. As I stepped closer I realized they were FBI trainees and the man was an instructor.

They were all around twenty years old, fresh out of the Academy. Each one of them listening to the senior agent intently as he talked about different grappling techniques.

I decided to watch for a bit, see how well they did.

I leaned against the wall with my arms crossed, watching as two of them climbed in-between the ropes and went to opposite sides of the ring.

The senior agent blew a whistle and they went at it.

I could tell right away that they didn't have much experience with fighting. Their technique, of which there wasn't much, involved using all arm muscles and trying to grab their opponent.

I shook my head sadly.

The coach was just as disappointed as I was and berated them for their poor fighting skills.

He rotated in another set of junior agents, which ended with the same result.

It wasn't until the third set that things actually began to get interesting.

The junior agent on the right did something unexpected. Rather than just circling cautiously, he dove right in, taking the offensive aggressively.

He overpowered the other junior agent quickly, who was soon replaced with another for the winner to challenge.

He took the new opponent down swiftly with growing confidence. There was now a prominent smirk on his face.

One after the other the coach sent up, but each was defeated.

He grew frustrated, "Oh come on, not one of you can at least get some advantage over him?"

They all hung their heads in chagrin to which the victorious boy smiled confidently.

I decided to knock him down a few notches.

"I'll take a whack at it." I said, pushing myself off the wall with my shoulder and walking through the throng of junior agents.

"And you are?" The senior agent asked, noticing me for the first time.

"I'm Agent Cullen's partner." I said with a small smile.

His eyes brightened in recognition at the name.

"So _you're_ the one everyone's been talking about." He said, returning the smile and holding out a hand.

I placed my hand in his outstretched one, "I suppose I am."

"Well then, by all means go ahead. You might be able to teach these guys something." He said, gesturing to the junior agents who were following the conversation with confused looks.

I thanked him and lifted one of the ropes before ducking underneath into the ring.

I had already stretched out a little, but this would be a good warm up.

The guy watched me with a confused and dubious expression, obviously not seeing me as a formidable opponent. He looked at the coach for confirmation, and then returned his gaze to me once the coach nodded.

He pushed himself out of the corner and took a few steps toward the center, I did the same, the cocky smile was on his face again. I could only imagine what thoughts were going through his head.

The coach blew the whistle and the fight began.

He held his hands up with his fingers spread, and in a split second I could see that he favored his right side by the way he held himself.

I smiled in anticipation.

He wasted no time in taking the offense and charged, attempting to use the same tactic that worked against the others, except this time I knew what was coming.

Rather than engaging, I sidestepped and grabbed his outstretched arm, pulling with just enough force that he toppled forward, but not enough to make me fall with him.

He wasn't expecting the shift in equilibrium, and lack of training made him do a face plant into the mat.

I kept light on my feet as I took a few steps back and waited for him to get up.

I glanced up and saw the instructor's shoulders shaking with silent laughter; his students were not so modest.

The guy got up rather quickly, the smirk now completely gone from his face, replaced instead with anger.

Anger was a large mistake that many fighters made; they allowed their emotions to control their actions, rather than stepping back and assessing the situation.

There was humiliation in his eyes that was covered with a thin veil of hatred.

I would have laughed, but if history had taught me one thing, it was to never ever drop my guard during a fight.

He charged again, this time leaving no opening for me to do another sidestep.

I bent my knees, once again opting to use momentum to my advantage, but from a different angle.

His arms were closer to his body as he got within a step of me.

I always liked fights.

They were about strategy, turning your opponent's forces against them. Leading them into a trap that they wouldn't recognize until it was too late.

And that's exactly what happened.

In the junior agent's assumption that through my standing still he would simply be able to overpower me, he failed to notice my swift movement before it was too late.

My outstretched hand pushed into his femoral pressure point and I curved my upper body forward so that my shoulder met his stomach.

Through pure leg and shoulder muscle, I turned his forward momentum upward as his body sailed over my shoulder.

This all passed in less than a second, but from my view it always seemed to happen in slow motion.

I saw out of the corner of my eye as he landed on his back hard enough to knock the wind out of his lungs.

This one would take him a little longer to recover from.

The onlookers were shocked into a stunned silence, except for the instructor who was smiling.

"See, now that is what I'm talking about!" He said, clapping. "Who's next?"

Even I raised my eyebrows in surprise at the amount of hands that shot up.

* * *

**EPOV**

I had been at the punching bag for about fifteen minutes when one of the gym workers wandered over and got my attention.

"Hey, is that girl you're partner over in the ring?" He asked, gesturing over his shoulder to something I couldn't see.

"I dunno, what does she look like?" I asked, wiping sweat off my forehead with a towel.

"She's slim, brown hair, really hot." I narrowed my eyes at his blatant description.

"Yeah, that's her. Why?"

"Oh, well you should go take a look, she's gaining quite the crowd." He said as he began to walk away.

"Crowd? Wait, what?" I called after him, confused.

He turned around and started walking backwards, "Basically, she's kicking ass."

'_Scarlet, what the hell are you doing.'_

My bare feet padded on the matted floor as I made my way to the back area where the ring was.

What I came across made me stop short.

There were about two dozen people standing around the ring, watching Scarlet take on a younger agent.

I winced when she threw him to the floor with ease, feeling his pain. I had experienced it myself when I had first fought her.

I would be lying if I said I didn't want a re-match.

I walked forward just as she delivered the final blow to a shoulder pressure point with her elbow, forcing him to collapse.

It didn't take me long to figure out why all the younger agents were willing to get beat up and have their pride destroyed.

She was sweating, a few strands of hair that had come out of her ponytail were sticking to her forehead, and there was no trace of makeup on her face.

I agreed with the gym workers previous statement, she was definitely 'hot'.

I immediately berated myself for that thought and shook my head to clear the images that popped up on their own accord.

The now-bruised junior agent stumbled out of the ring, but when he turned away, he had a small smile on his face. I could practically read the thought that was going through his mind, 'definitely worth it'.

I rolled my eyes.

If Scarlet noticed the hungry looks in the remaining junior agents, she ignored them.

She leaned against one of the ropes, then took a long swig of water from a cup that had been provided by one of the junior agents.

She thanked him and he nearly tripped over himself, a broad smile covering his face. I felt like I was experiencing this morning's scene with Mike at the coffee shop all over again.

She had to know what she was doing to these guys.

I decided that I wanted that rematch now. I shouldered my way through the crowd and ducked under the rope.

Scarlet noted my appearance with a raised eyebrow. Her arms were folded over her chest, one leg tucked behind the other, the epitome of calm.

"Up for one last round before we go?" I asked.

"With you?" she asked, an interesting expression on her face.

I shrugged, "Why not? We may be able to teach them something." I said, gesturing to the younger agents watching our conversation with eager faces.

She glanced over at them for a second before returning her attention to me, "Are you sure you want to get beaten by me again? There's an audience this time."

She smirked and my decision was made.

"Oh, but this time I'm ready." I said with a smile of my own.

She looked at me for a second longer, most likely trying to figure out my tactic, before pushing herself off the side of the ring.

"Bring it."

My smile grew.

I noticed the anticipating looks of the junior agents out of the corner of my eye. They were as eager to see how this turned out as I was.

We stood a good five feet apart, staring each other down.

"This bringing back some memories agent Cullen?" She asked with her smirk, baiting me.

It didn't go unnoticed by me that she had purposely called me Agent Cullen rather than Edward, I didn't like it. There was something about the way 'Edward' seemed to roll off her tongue that made it sound much better than any way I had ever heard anyone say it.

I couldn't put my finger on the exact reason for that.

I heard a whistle blow somewhere on the edge of my conscious mind. Its significance only registered when Scarlet started moving toward me.

I reacted instinctively and planted my feet firmly, my equilibrium set, my arms coming up.

Her fist came in an arch for my abdomen, I blocked it easily with my forearm and she followed up with her other fist for the same area.

My other arm came up just in time and her throw was redirected past my torso.

I swung my leg around in an attempt to knock her's out from under her, but she jumped back out of my range.

"I see you've picked up a couple things since the last time we faced off." She said, the smirk turning into an amicable smile.

I shrugged and felt the corner of my lips pull upward.

"I felt that it was necessary." I said, telling the truth.

She gave me an appreciative look before quickly diving back into the fight.

As each punch was thrown and we each tried to gain an advantage over one another, the surrounding seemed to slip away until the only thing I could hear was the inconsistent pattern of our labored breathing.

My eyes were too busy tracking her movements and watching out for anything that might slip by my defenses, that I could no longer see our audience.

It was just me and Scarlet.

Our dance of swings and dodges continued for several minutes, her breathing was getting heavier and I was sure that mine was the same.

I could no longer tell how long we had been fighting, most likely having been only a few minutes but it felt like hours.

I ignored the strain in my arms, and resisted the urge to wipe the sweat from my brow.

She was standing a couple feet away, trying to cover up however tired she was. I resisted the urge to smirk, but held it back because it would most likely prove fatal if she saw me.

Some sort of understanding clicked between us and we engaged in the fight once again.

I had to try to throw her off balance somehow. She was too quick, and she knew how to slip through holes too well for me to gain an advantage any other way.

Instead of merely deflecting her blow, I gripped her wrist as it narrowly missed my head. I watched her eyes widen slightly in shock before she covered it up and twisted her body into me, her back to my chest.

Our bodies seemed to mold together, I could feel her hair tickling my cheek as my surroundings were engulfed in freesia.

I felt her arm muscles moving and gripped her elbow an inch away from my abdomen where it would have knocked the wind out of me.

We were in an interesting position. I was gripping her right wrist to the side and was holding her body flush against my front by her elbow.

I was trying to figure out a way to go from the position we were in to one where I wouldn't have to release one of her arms.

Before I could come up with a suitable plan, she raised her right arm above our heads and twisted her body until our faces were an inch apart.

I could feel her breath fan across my face, I blinked slowly.

A smile crawled onto her lips, inches from my own.

"I never got to thank you for the coffee this morning." She said, just loud enough for both of us to hear.

My expression showed my confusion, _'How the hell can she possibly be thinking about that right now?'_

I tilted my head to the side in my confusion, "You're welcome...?"

I didn't know how it was possible, but somehow her face seemed to come even closer, her brown eyes smoldering.

Everything seemed to be in slow motion, I was drawn in.

By the time I realized that my captivation was all part of her plan, my back was already slamming down onto the mat, my legs having been taken out from under me with a sweep of her own.

'_oh no, she's not getting away that easily.'_

In her confidence, she didn't expect me to retaliate. That's why, when I made a sweeping kick of my own, her own legs slipped out from under her and she tumbled on top of me with an 'oomph'.

I couldn't hold back the chuckle that burst from my lips.

I lifted myself up by the elbows and looked at her, she was glaring at me.

The chuckle then turned into a full out laugh and my shoulders shook as I tried to contain it.

I could see her composure begin to crack as a small smile graced her lips. For the third time that day, my eyes were drawn to them.

She shifted her position and soon the laugh faded and I became very aware of her hand on my chest, her leg draped over mine. Miniscule shockwaves spread up my body against my will. I could practically feel my pupils dilating. Yet again timed seemed to still in a moment of electric friction.

The moment was shattered when I heard a cough distantly.

Reality decided to choose that moment to smack me in the face and remind me that we had an audience. I jumped up quickly, lending a hand down to pull Scarlet up.

She gripped my hand and joined me in standing, the small smile still adorning her features.

She didn't seem effected at all by the situation and promptly climbed out of the ring without pause. I watched her leave while I rubbed the back of my neck, abashed.

"So…I guess we'll just call that one a draw?" I called after her even though I was pretty sure she had won the situation in every way except the actual fight.

* * *

**A/N: If you are reading this author's note, it probably means that you are still enjoying this story enough to be patient with my updating. This was my longest chapter yet and I felt that you all deserve it for waiting so long. Please stick around, the slow updates are not from my lack of trying, but stem more from a lack of time. I will try to update sooner, but for now I will only ask that you review and be patient. Let me know what you think is going to happen, it may give me some ideas or at least some inspiration. :P**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT **

**BPOV**

I stepped back from the wall and tilted my head to the side as I looked it over.

"It's still a little crooked." Alice said from behind me, looking up from her magazine momentarily.

"Are you sure?" I asked, taking another step back until I was even with her.

The only response I got was her flipping the page in the latest gossip magazine.

I saw what she was getting at and readjusted the painting from where it was slanted to the right.

"You are supposed to be helping me." I said without looking at her.

"Mmmhmmm." She responded, another page turned.

"Alice." I said, turning to look at her.

She ignored me.

"Alice!" I yelled. Her head snapped up, her eyes immediately turning into a glare.

"What are you reading that's got you so enthralled when you're supposed to be helping me decorate my apartment?" I asked, my hands on my hips.

Her eyes glanced away, immediately making me suspicious, "Nothing…just an article."

My eyes narrowed as I detected her lie.

Before she could put it away, my hand reached out and snatched the magazine from her grip, glancing at the article she was reading.

"The horoscopes? Really?" I said, raising one eyebrow in her direction.

She snatched the magazine back, "I like reading them, they can give good advice."

"Oh? Like what?" I asked.

She cleared her throat and looked down at the article, "Aries: today the astral configuration is in your favor as a comet comes within range of your constellation. Just like the comet, the chance at love is approaching soon, keep your eyes open or you may miss it altogether."

She lowered the magazine to see me giving her a look that told her she was an idiot.

She got a spark in her eyes, "Let's read yours. What's your sign?"

I said nothing.

"C'mon Scarlet, don't you want to know whether your future holds riches and success?"

"I'm good." I said, turning around and grabbing another frame while deciding where to put it.

"Come on, are you a…Libra? Leo? Pisces? Oooh I bet you're a Scorpio." She said excitedly.

I sighed, knowing she wouldn't give up, "Virgo." I said without looking at her as I found the perfect spot for the painting.

I didn't have to look at her to know she was smiling triumphantly.

"Let's see…"

More paper ruffling followed by a page turning.

"Virgo…virgo…here we go!"

I placed the painting on the hook, not listening.

She cleared her throat, "The full moon is just over a week away and many new opportunities are going to present themselves before it gets here…"

I stepped back from the painting, tapping my lips with my index finger as I decided whether I liked where I put it.

"…the stars in the Virgo constellation are shining brighter than ever and…" She noticed I wasn't paying attention, "…an attractive federal agent with a name that begins with the letter 'E' will make you to confess your love for him and run into his arms and-"

'_Maybe I should put it closer -' _"What!?" I turned around quickly as my brain finally processed what she had said.

She was smirking.

"Not funny." I glared.

"Oh, I have to disagree, it was quite hilarious." She responded, still smiling.

My eyes were still narrowed, but there was a small smile on my lips as I turned away.

"Alright, what do you think?" I said, swinging my arms around.

"It looks great, much better than before." She said, her gaze sweeping around the entire room.

"Well that's not saying much, it was pretty much a dump before." I said, joining her as I looked over my newly refurbished apartment.

"True." She said, nodding.

"Thanks again for bringing the stuff over." I said, truly meaning it.

"Yeah, no problem. The other stuff is in your room." She said absentmindedly, straightening out a painting, "Perfect."

I went and sat on the couch and she soon joined me as we looked over our work. Instead of the boring apartment that was here before, the main room was now decorated with an array of paintings and other decorations that gave it some personality.

There was a soft knock on the open door, making both of our heads snap quickly in its direction.

Edward poked his head in and looked at me for a second before noticing Alice, his features immediately adorning a question at her presence.

"Well if it isn't Mr. FBI agent." Alice said, smiling.

"Hi?" He said, still obviously confused, his expression giving away the fact that he was trying to remember if he knew her.

I sighed and took pity on him, "Edward this is Alice, don't bother introducing yourself, she already knows everything about you." I said, getting up from the couch and walking over to stand in front of him.

"Case?" I asked.

"Not yet, but we're still on call if one comes up." He said, still looking at Alice with a confused expression, while she just smiled back from where she sat on the couch.

"So…what's up then?" I asked, confused as to why he was here.

"I just wanted to let you know I was going to head out to the shooting range with Jasper and was wondering if you wanted to come along…?" His gaze swept over my apartment, "Did you redecorate?"

"Yeah." I said absentmindedly, thinking over his offer, "Don't I have to go? With you I mean." I asked, referring to my GPS anklet.

"The bureau worked it out so that you can stay here if you want, and you have a one mile radius to wander around in. But other than that you have to stick with me. So, it's up to you." He said.

I was taken aback by the sudden small amount of trust and freedom I was granted, not sure what to do with it.

Alice got up from her seat on the couch and said, "Well, I better head out. I've got stuff to do and people to see. You two play nice." I sent her a glare.

"Hey, what's the hold up?" Came a voice as Jasper poked his head in.

He smiled at me politely, then his eyes shifted to Alice and froze.

"Hi." He said smoothly, shouldering his way past Edward and holding out his hand to her.

"Hey yourself." She said with a small smile, placing her hand in his and shaking it

Edward and I shared a look and rolled our eyes in synchronization.

"You know what; I think I will go with you." I said, grabbing my coat and pulling it over my shoulders.

"Are you coming Jasper?" Edward asked, but received no answer, "Jasper!"

"Ummm…" Jasper looked back and forth between Edward and Alice, obviously torn.

"Forget it, just leave him." I said, tugging on Edward's arm.

"I was going to head out for coffee, care to come with?"Alice asked Jasper as she pulled her coat on.

With Edward and the shooting range completely forgotten, he nodded vigorously and sent her a dazzling smile.

I stood there watching them smile at one another for a few moments before my patience broke, "Alright, you all really have got to get out of my apartment."

* * *

**EPOV**

I fired another three shots at the stationary target thirty feet away. Three holes were punched through, all within the outer rings.

I was usually very focused whenever I was at the shooting range. I needed to be in control of my thoughts or I might slip up. And slipping up was not an option in a profession where your life was often put on the line.

But today…

Today, for some reason I couldn't stop thinking about that sparring match with Scarlet that we had the day before.

The memory kept replaying over and over in my mind.

I put in another clip and racked the slide before taking aim. I squinted at my target and pulled the trigger, making an unhappy sound as it punched a hole through one of the outer rings. The memory started over again as I adjusted my stance, no matter how hard I tried to stop it.

'_The smell of freesia...'_

I fired again, missing completely.

'_Her breath fanning my face...'_

Another shot fired, another miss.

"Do you usually suck this bad?"

'_Her voice…'_

It took me a second to realize that last one was not pulled from my memory.

I spun around, and saw her looking past me at the target with one eyebrow raised.

I turned my head to look at the target; it did look pretty bad. But I wasn't about to give her the satisfaction of telling her I agreed.

"Well, you're one to talk; you've been here for almost twenty minutes and haven't done a thing." I said.

"I don't like guns. And it's not like the FBI is going to be giving me a weapon to use anytime soon." She said, crossing her arms, leaning against the wall and inspecting a fingernail.

"Afraid you'll be bad at it and ruin the image of perfection?" I said, baiting her, knowing that she wouldn't be able to resist.

I wasn't disappointed. She looked up from her nails quickly and sent me an icy glare.

"Hand it over." She said.

I smirked and placed it in her hand as she brushed past me.

"Now, don't be surprised with how you do, it takes years of training to even-"

She racked the slide with an expert hand, making my eyes widen, and without hesitation raised the gun with both hands and let five bullets fly in rapid fire.

I watched as two holes were punched through the forehead of the paper target and three went straight through where the heart would be.

She placed the weapon in my hand forcefully, "Just because I don't like guns, doesn't mean I don't know how to use them." She said. Her tone of voice gave me the impression that I would do well not to test her like that again.

"Duly noted." I said with a nervous chuckle, trying to lighten the mood. I turned to her, about to say something else but stopped.

Her eyes were distant, seeing something that I couldn't. Without knowing it, I had unintentionally brought up a memory. Whether it had to do with her dislike of firearms or how she learned to shoot like that, I doubted I would gain privilege to her thoughts.

She shook her head, her eyes returning to the present, and looked at me with a smile covering her features once again, the mask back up.

Maybe one day she would trust me enough to tell me what she was trying so hard to conceal.

* * *

**BPOV**

I was playing with the radio on Edward's car, trying to find a good station when his phone rang.

He answered and I leaned closer to try and listen in, but heard nothing except what Edward was saying.

"Alright, we'll head over there right now. Thanks." He closed it with a 'snap'.

"Where're we headed?" I asked, my interest piqued.

"Near Oak Park." He said, glancing over his shoulder before swerving the car until we were going in the opposite direction. "There's been a jewelry heist at one of the auction centers."

I couldn't stop the smile that lit up my face, happy to finally have another case.

Edward noticed my smile and chuckled, "Don't get so excited, it's probably going to be pretty basic. Believe it or not, not all criminals go to the lengths that you did to remain unnoticed."

"True, but that doesn't mean I can't get excited over a new case. I thought we were going to be stuck doing paperwork or working out at the gym forever." I said, finding a new source of energy. Though after a second thought, I realized I didn't mind the gym so much.

* * *

We walked into the highly decorated museum-like building, filled with marble floors and gold-encrusted chandeliers.

"Wow, I think someone had a little too much money when decorating." I said, letting my gaze take in the gilded room.

"Well, they have to look impressive. This is an auction house for items worth a lot of money. No one wants to bid millions of dollars in a place that looks cheap." Edward said as we strode up to the front counter.

The man behind the counter looked up at us with an expression that told us we weren't worth his time.

"Hi." Edward said cheerfully, seeming to be trying to piss off the supercilious worker.

"Can I help you?" He forced out, obviously believing that we were beyond helping.

"I need to speak to Mr. Waltman." He said, still smiling.

"Well I'm sorry, but he is busy at the moment. You are going to have to make an appointment for another day." He said, already turning back to his computer.

"I think he can find some time." Edward said, holding his badge up for the guy to see.

He begrudgingly stopped what he was doing and gestured for us to follow him.

A few minutes later we were standing in front of a man who was wiping his forehead with a handkerchief whom I immediately assumed to be Mr. Waltman.

Edward flashed his badge for the second time and the man before us immediately became even livelier.

"Hello, I'm agent Cullen and this is my partner, she's a consultant for the FBI."

He put his handkerchief in his pocket and quickly shook both of our hands, which I wiped on my jeans when he wasn't looking.

"Hello, I'm George Waltman, I called about the umm…_robbery_." He whispered the last part, making Edward and I glance at each other.

"Is something wrong?" Edward asked.

The man glanced over his shoulder as if afraid someone might overhear, "Well, the truth is…no one knows yet about what happened. I'm trying to keep this quiet and am hoping you will be able to recover the item before…well…before anyone finds out." He said, his voice still just above a whisper.

I snorted.

Edward threw me a look, "Mr. Waltman, if you don't mind me saying, that is never going to work. We need to do a full investigation and keeping things quiet will not be our main concern. You must know, sooner or later these things inevitably see the light of day."

"Well, I have to try." He said, sweat once again coating his forehead as he turned and led us through a hallway.

Edward and I shared another look before following a few steps behind him.

He led us through a few doors without locks and then into an elevator that took us up to the fifth floor where security was more intense.

Here the doors required keycards and had magnetic locks. He ushered us in quickly, once again glancing over his shoulder. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"Mr. Waltman, if we're going to help you, you're going to need to start telling us what happened." Edward said, his patience wearing thin as we exited the elevator and through another locked door.

"Very well." He said, exasperated, "Last night one of our most valuable pieces was stolen from the collection."

"What was it?" Edward asked as we watched him turn the large handle on the vault.

"It was a seventeen carat Burmese ruby necklace encrusted with white diamonds. It's worth quite a lot." He said, pulling at his collar as if it was suffocating him. It occurred to me then that these may not be his jewels to lose.

"What exactly is your official title here?" I asked, his answer would confirm my theory.

"I am the auctioneer and make all of the transactions here, and am in charge of security and authentication." He said.

"So, the jewels are not actually yours." Edward said, catching on to my train of thought.

"No, I am just the middle man in charge of making the transactions for my clients. They bring their jewels here and I auction them off to the highest bidder during one of our tri-annual events."

He finally got the vault open and we stepped inside.

He pressed a button and dim lights flickered on, illuminating each set of jewelry individually. They were organized in rows, set on dark blue velvet, making the bright jewels stand out in contrast and sparkle in the light. He stood in front of the one glass box that was empty.

I walked in-between the rows and looked over each piece, it was a very impressive collection.

"Do you have a picture of the stolen piece?" Edward asked, making me look up from a diamond necklace.

I returned to his side and looked over his shoulder at the picture that was handed to him.

"How much was this piece worth?" Edward asked, turning the picture.

"About five-hundred thousand." Both I and Mr. Waltman said at the same time.

"Give or take." I added. Mr. Waltman was now looking at me with interest.

"How can you tell so quickly?" Edward asked, looking at me over his shoulder.

I cleared my throat, "Well, he said earlier that it was seventeen carats, which is rather large for a ruby. And he also said it was Burmese, rubies from Burma are generally the most valuable. So estimated that rubies from Burma can go for about fifteen thousand per carat, plus add on the fact that it's going to be sold at an auction, where people are likely to pay more to uphold their wealthy image, and the fact that it's encrusted with at least a dozen white diamonds, it adds up to roughly five-hundred thousand." I finished, they were both looking at me. I shifted from one foot to the other, "Give or take."

"I'm impressed, you told me you were a consultant for the FBI, is your profession fine gems?" Mr. Waltman asked.

I opened my mouth several times before eventually saying, "No, but I've spent enough time around them to be well educated."

Edward snorted but covered it up with a cough.

"Well regardless, I have been entrusted with this rare piece of jewelry, so you can understand my desire for discretion." He said.

"We can understand it, but we are not necessarily going to adhere to it." Edward said.

I was looking at Mr. Waltman, there was something he wasn't telling us, I could see it in his eyes.

"Besides the fact that the owners of the jewelry will hold you responsible for the robbery, most likely claiming poor security, what aren't you telling us?" I asked.

He blanched and swallowed hard, his eyes shifting between Edward and me.

"Well…as I mentioned before, this auction house has three annual auctions for jewels of large value, they are two-night events and the first of the three started last night." He said, but I was still waiting for what had him so worried.

"So, the auction has another event tonight for the remaining items." I prompted, wanting him to get to the point.

"Well…ummm…this particular item…was sold last night." He said.

"Ouch." I said as I understood, feeling his pain.

"So, a guest bid and paid half a million dollars for this necklace, which then got stolen, and now you have no necklace to give them and you're on the line unless we somehow catch the thief and retrieve the jewelry all before the end of the auction event tonight. Does that sound about right?" Edward said, his tone slightly humorous.

Mr. Waltman didn't say anything, but he didn't have to, the look on his face told us that he fairly close to being sick. I resisted the urge to take a step back.

"Mr. Waltman, the probability of us retrieving the jewelry in approximately…" He looked at his watch, "twelve hours, is slim and none. By now, it's likely that the thief, who is most likely a professional, has taken the necklace out of the city, even perhaps out of the state."

"Well…unless…" I started to say, my mind already turning different ideas.

"What?" Edward turned to me.

"Well, I was just thinking, how did they know it was here? They stole a very specific piece, but the inventory of items isn't released until the actual auction, correct?" I asked, turning to Mr. Waltman who nodded thoughtfully.

"So that means, the thief is either an employee who works here-" Edward started but Mr. Waltman interrupted him.

"Not possible, I'm the only one with the vault codes and all of our employees are screened and-and well…no-there's just no way." He said adamantly.

"Or…it's someone at the auction." I said, finishing Edward's initial statement.

"Which means they'll be on the list of list of invited guests." Edward said, enthusiasm in his tone, he turned to Mr. Waltman "Can you get that for us?"

"Yes, but don't you need to see the vault?" He said, pointing behind him.

"I'm going to call CSU, get them to see if there's anything to go off of, but it's unlikely. We'll come back to it, for now we need to see that list." He said.

We stepped out of the vault and watched as he closed it and reset the locks.

We retraced the same path down each hallway and into the elevator where we returned the main floor.

Mr. Waltman ushered away the man behind the desk with impatience and began clicking away at the computer.

"So this guest list…it must have some pretty esteemed people on it, guessing from the price range of the items." I said.

Mr. Waltman glanced up briefly, "Yes, our facility is known for confidentiality and prestige." He said quickly before returning to looking at the screen.

"So, if it gets out that a piece of jewelry was stolen from your collection, right under your nose, during an event that had hundreds of witnesses…well you're pretty much screwed." I said, voicing my train of thought.

Edward threw me a look that told me to stop talking.

"Well he is! Think about it, who would trust him or his company with their jewels? And forget being able to auction off anything ever again, if people think that the items they pay for will be stolen, no one's going to bid on them. No wonder he wants to keep this quiet, if it gets out I can think of at least three different people that would want to sue him." I finished.

I hadn't noticed that as I was talking Mr. Waltman had gotten more and more pale and now looked like he was on the verge of a panic attack.

With a shaky hand he handed us the large list of names that he had just printed.

My eyes scanned over the list briefly, only a few familiar ones popping up.

A phone rang somewhere and Mr. Waltman excused himself.

I looked away from the list and turned to Edward.

His expression gave away that he was thinking hard about something.

"What?" I asked.

He looked at me for a few moments, turning something over in his mind.

"Say you were the thief, how would you have done it?" He eventually asked.

I looked at him, deciding whether he was serious or not. When his expression told me he was, I actually thought about it.

I let my gaze wander over the lobby, imagining it as it looked last night, and how it would look again tonight. There would be men in tuxes and women in long flowing dresses, sipping champagne and making idle chit chat while they waited for the auction to begin.

"Well, if I were a guest, I would make sure that I talked to as many people as possible, try to provide myself with witnesses if I needed them later. Then I would watch the auction and decide which piece was worth taking. They don't bring the actual gems up to the auction stage, just project photographs on a slide. Then…"

My gaze wandered some more as I tried to put myself in the thief's shoe's, "Then I would make some excuse to leave, or I would wait until there was an item that had a lot of bidders, either way I would make sure I got out of the room without arousing suspicion…"

"And then…" Edward prompted, he was staring at me intently.

"This is where it doesn't make any sense, I would need the code for the vault, and there wouldn't be enough time to break in. It would require large, heavy tools that would have left marks on the vault. No, I would definitely need the combination, there's no way around it. But then…how did I get it? Mr. Waltman said that he was the only one that knows it, not even the security or any employees know it." I drifted off, puzzled.

"Skip that part for now, what would you do once you had the necklace, would you run?" He asked.

I raised an eyebrow at him, "In all the time you've been on my case, have I ever once snatched an item and run out of the city?"

He looked at me, thinking it over, "Good point…so what would you do?"

His gaze was intense as he waited anxiously for my answer.

A smile crept onto my face as it hit me, "I would come back. I would know that if the police were involved by now, they would look for someone who didn't come for the second part of the event. And even if the police weren't involved yet, because I know the auctioneer would want to keep things under wraps, I wouldn't be able to help but come back because…the only thing greater than stealing a jewel, is being able to come back to the place I've stolen it from and watch as everyone searches for someone that's standing right in front of them…" I said, "…you know what this means right?"

Edward looked at me, "That the thief is going to be in this room tonight?" Edward said, but I shook my head.

"That's not the only thing. It also means that you and I…get to go undercover." I said, a smile of anticipation stretching onto my face.

* * *

**A/N: Trust me when I say that I am writing as fast as I can, I am not postponing updating just to torture you. I work on the chapters the entire time between updates, whether it's one week or three. Just please be patient and I will try to update as fast as I can. On another note, reviews make me smile. And I've decided that it might be fun if in your review you tell me what song you would pick if you had to choose a theme song for Scarlet. That should lead to some interesting results. :P**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT **

**EPOV**

"Alright, so you've got about an hour before you and Scarlet have to get there." Emmett said as he watched me adjust my belt so that my gun would be out of sight under the jacket of my tux.

"Thanks again for the help on this one." I said, truly meaning it. Emmett was part of organized crime and had more experience with undercover work, when I had asked for his assistance he seemed happy to help.

"Yeah, no problem." He said, "I'm glad that I'm able to help. I don't have a case right now in organized crime so I've got plenty of time."

I closed the door to my office and looked in the mirror that was behind it. I fixed my crooked bow tie and adjusted the cuffs of my sleeves, pulling them down a little until they fit right. It was rare when I got to wear tux, I never seemed to have many formal occasions to wear them to. I turned from side to side, looking at my reflection with an appreciative smile.

"Alright already, you look fine, now let's go. We have to get your earpiece and make sure the teams are in place." Emmett said impatiently.

"Alright, we should grab Scarlet; hopefully she's ready by now." I said, looking at the fake Rolex on my wrist.

"Don't worry about her, Rose is helping her get ready and then she's going to have her meet us in the back garage with the rest of the team." He said, glancing at his watch as well.

"You look nervous." I said, wondering why for some reason I wasn't.

"Not nervous. Just punctual. Undercover operations-even short term ones, can go horribly wrong if the timing is off by a fraction." He said, illustrating the point by holding his thumb and index fingers an inch apart.

I glanced in the mirror one last time before nodding at him and opening the door, leaving it open for him to follow.

The elevator ride down was filled with a slight awkwardness. I still didn't know Emmett very well, and other than the occasional passing in the hallway, or seeing him with Rosalie, we rarely saw each other.

I couldn't imagine that we would have much in common. He worked in organized crime, I worked in major theft. He looked like he could be a bodybuilder and I…well I was slightly smaller in stature.

"So, how's it working out between you and your partner? Rose's told me a little bit about it, but she hasn't been working with you much lately, so it's hard for her to keep up to date." He said, effectively breaking the silence.

"Oh, well, you know. It's going fine I guess." I said with a slight shrug of my shoulders, not really sure what to say.

He nodded thoughtfully, looking straight ahead.

Once again the elevator was filled with silence as we both stared at the metal doors.

"You know, they actually talk about her quite a bit." He said casually.

I looked at him quickly, "Who?"

He shrugged nonchalantly, "The guys in the break room, sometimes on stakeouts…I don't know I just seem to hear her name a lot."

"Why would they be talking about her on stakeouts?" I asked, confused.

"You obviously haven't been on many if you don't know how dull they can get." He said with a slight chuckle.

I don't know why the idea of people talking about her bothered me so much.

I let a few moments of silence pass again before shrugging and saying, "So…what do they say about her?"

Now he turned to look at me for the first time, apparently what I thought was subtle turned out to be obvious.

"Why do you want to know so badly?" He asked, a knowing smile on his face. I was immediately reminded of the fact that he was around Rosalie half the time, and who knows what ideas she's put into his mind.

"No reason." I shrugged.

I saw the look on his face out of the corner of my eye and it told me that he didn't believe me for a second. I just stared straight ahead.

'_Does the elevator always take this long?'_

I was slightly surprise when he started to answer my question, "Well, let me think…I remember Matt talking about the heist she pulled at the Field Museum,…in the break room the other day I heard Greg asking about how she convinced Aro to let her work with you…"

I was nodding, so far nothing he said really bothered me.

"Oh yeah and I almost forgot," The elevator dinged and the doors began to creak open slowly. "I heard Will and some of his buddies talking about some sort of bet."

With that he walked right out the now-open doors, leaving me in my state of shock.

"Wait a sec! What bet!" I called after him.

**BPOV**

I leaned closer to the mirror and applied a layer of mascara. My eyes shifted in the reflection when I noticed someone leaning against the wall.

"Hey." I said, turning to face her.

She just nodded and continued to lean against the wall. We were in the women's locker room, it was the only decent place I could find to get ready.

There were a few moments of awkward silence.

"Ummm, do you need something?" I asked into the silence.

"No, Emmett just wanted me to help get you ready and make sure you're on time." Rosalie said.

I nodded, not sure what to say.

I could tell she didn't want to help me and that the only reason she was down here was for Emmett.

"Well, I'm pretty much ready." I said, trying to relieve the awkwardness of the situation by giving her an opening to leave.

She raised one eyebrow, her face taking on an interesting expression. "You're going to go with your hair like _that_?" She asked.

"What's wrong with my hair?" I asked, all politeness gone. I glanced in the mirror out of the corner of my eye, trying to see what she could possibly be talking about.

"Well, to put it frankly, everything." She said, pushing herself off the wall.

I glared at her reflection in the mirror before looking over my hair. I had it straight with a slight curl at the end. I had worn it a million times like this and couldn't see anything wrong with it.

She could see that I wasn't getting the picture and huffed before grabbing a folding chair and forcing me into it.

"Wait here." She ordered, I raised my eyebrow at the command. Part of me wanted to move just to piss her off.

She came back with a bag and a curling iron and I was immediately skeptical of what she planned to do.

"I don't think we have enough time…" I started to say.

"It'll take me five minutes. I can't stand by and watch this injustice take place." She said, looking at my hair in the mirror.

By 'injustice' I assumed she was talking about my hair. I had to bite my tongue to hold back the retort that threatened to break through.

Sure enough, five minutes, thirteen bobby pins, and three dozen swear words later, she was done.

I opened my eyes from where they had been squinted shut and took in my reflection.

"Wow." I said simply. "…thanks."

"Yeah well…you'll fit in with the crowd better this way." She said, looking away from the reflection to put something in her bag.

I was still in shock, both at the fact that she was actually taking a break from the constant hostility she's had toward me since our psych session, and at the reflection I saw in the mirror.

I looked at her in the mirror, she was still avoiding eye contact.

"You really don't like me do you?" I asked, her eyes glanced up and finally met mine.

She pursed her lips and didn't say anything, opting for silence rather than the truth. But I could see it on her face.

"It's okay, really. I can understand why." I said, getting up from the chair with another glance in the mirror.

Hostility never bothered me much, it came with the job. Or at least it came with what used to be my job. Putting forth the effort to get someone to like you if there was no beneficial outcome, is irrational in my handbook. There are always going to be people who dislike you, whether it's from jealousy, something you did, or for no apparent reason. I guess Rosalie's hostility stemmed from a combination of those.

"I just have a hard time trusting you." She said, her eyes darting away, telling me that she was ashamed of her admission.

It didn't faze me though, I didn't blame her.

She cleared her throat, "So, your all set for tonight? Any questions or anything?" She asked.

"I didn't think they let psych analysts undercover." I asked, pulling back the smirk that threatened to crawl onto my lips.

"They don't." She said, her lips tightening once again, "But unlike you, I've been with the FBI for years and know how these things go."

I begrudgingly had to admit she had a point.

"So I'll ask again, any questions before we send you out on a potentially dangerous operation?" She asked, this time with her hands on her hips. I got the feeling that that particular stance was common for her.

As tempting as it was to pick another fight with her, I decided to cut her a break.

"No, I'm good. Thanks though." I said, making sure I hadn't left anything behind.

I saw her face visibly soften; obviously she had expected a retort of a different tone. "Alright, well…we should get going then." She said, rubbing the back of her neck and turning towards the door.

I followed behind, my stilettos clicking on the linoleum flooring between the locker room and the elevator.

If I had been paying attention, I would have noticed all of the heads turning as I walked by.

**EPOV**

"Stop fidgeting, you're fine." Emmett said, noticing me pulling at my bow tie for the hundredth time.

"Alright, so let's go over it one more time. Scarlet and I go in, observe the auction, attempt to identify the thief or possibly thieves, and your team will be parked around the corner for backup if we need it." I said, leaning against the ridiculously expensive Mercedes, before standing up quickly at the thought of getting my tux dirty.

"Yep, pretty much. Here's your earpiece." He said, pulling a box out of the back of the black van and opening it to reveal the small skin colored piece of technology. I took it from its case and put it in my ear, adjusting it until it was secure and out of sight. He climbed into the back of the surveillance van.

"Is it working?" I whispered.

My answer was Emmett sticking his hand out of the back of the van in a thumbs up.

I nodded and put my hands in my pockets in order to resist looking at my watch.

"So who's your team tonight?" I asked Emmett, trying to pass the time.

He hopped out of the back of the van. "Well, Rose is coming. She wanted to tag along to keep me company."

"And me." I turned to see another agent walking up with a laptop tucked under his arm.

He was in organized crime division with Emmett. I had seen him around the building every once in a while, but had never really worked with him. He was about the same height and build as me and seemed friendly enough. I stuck out my hand. "Edward." I said.

He gripped my hand firmly and shook it once saying, "Riley."

"And I'm Emmett, now that we all know each other, can you start setting up?" Emmett said impatiently, making both of us chuckle.

I watched Riley hop into the van with his laptop in tow. There was some shuffling of papers, "So Edward, word's gotten out that your new partner is pretty good looking, is it true?"

My eyebrows constricted. "Well…ummm…" I cleared my throat.

"I mean, from the things I've heard…" He jumped out of the back of the van, this time without the laptop, "she's gotta be…" He looked up from the ground to my direction, but his gaze immediately went to behind my shoulder, his eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

"Holy shit."

I threw him a confused look then glanced over my shoulder and immediately did a double take, this time completely turning around.

Holy shit was right.

Suddenly those ridiculous movie scenes where the girl walks in slow motion, turning heads with every step no longer seemed so ridiculous.

My mouth went dry.

Her dress was skin tight, it was both blue and silvery white, made in a way that the fabric gripped her curves like a glove. It went down to mid thigh, leaving plenty to the imagination while still making it look classy and elegant. Anyone else wearing the dress wouldn't have been able to pull it off. My gaze continued its journey until it noticed the stiletto heels that were clicking on the cement floor of the garage. I swallowed hard and tore my eyes away, looking at her face instead.

Half of her hair was down in soft ringlets on her shoulders while the other half was pulled back in an intricate bun that kept it all out of her face.

The distance between us became less and less until she was standing in front of me by the Mercedes.

"Edward, if you continue to keep your mouth open like that, flies are going to get in." Rosalie said without looking at me as she continued walking past and climbed into the back of the van to join Emmett.

I closed it and heard the 'click' of my teeth as they came together.

"Are we almost ready to go?" She asked, looking at me.

"Y-yeah." I coughed, clearing my throat and looked away.

Suddenly, someone brushed by my shoulder, nearly making me stumble. "Hi. I'm Riley."

It took me a moment to realize that I was glaring at the back of his head before I stopped.

She looked at him passively but took his outstretched hand nonetheless. However, instead of shaking it he brought it to his lips kissed it.

I cleared my throat, surprised by the rush of anger that arose. "Hey Riley, don't you need to be setting up stuff. You know. In the van." I motioned toward the van with my thumb.

He glanced at me, about to say something, but the look on my face must have changed his mind because he glanced at her one last time before dropping her hand and walking to the van without another word.

She looked after him without a clear emotion on her face before looking at me, her eyes trailing from head to toe. The bet Emmett had told me about came to mind, I decided not to tell her what it included.

"You clean up nice Agent Cullen." She said, a smile tugging at her lips as she crossed her arms and gave me a once over.

"Thanks, you're not too bad yourself." I said, almost leaning against the car for the second time before catching myself. "Who's dress is that?"

"Mine. It's a Herve Leger original." She said, looking down at it before meeting my eyes again.

I nodded as if I knew what that meant.

"Rosalie did my hair though, she thought I would fit in better this way at the event." She said.

I wanted to tell her that there was no way that was going to happen, people-especially men-were going to definitely notice her, but instead bit my tongue and looked away.

"Alright, we should get going. I just got clearance from the director, and he say's we're good to go." Emmett said.

He opened the driver's side door of the van and was about to get in when he seemed to remember something and turned around. "Oh, he also gave the clear to cut the tracker Edward."

"Oh right, almost forgot." I said, and immediately began digging in my pocket for my pocket knife.

"What's he talking about?" Scarlet asked, looking between where Emmett had just been and me.

"In case you haven't noticed, your…attire doesn't exactly cover your tracking anklet. So we're cutting it for a couple hours."

I saw her eyes widen a fraction before she covered it up.

"This case popped up too quickly for our lab techs to put something together that would fit in, like a bracelet with a microchip inset. So, this also means that you have to stay within sight. At all times. No exceptions." I told her, looking at her hard.

She nodded.

"Keep in mind that the building will be surrounded by agents. If you try anything at all, this," I gestured between us, "is over and you get sent back to prison, except this time with maximum security."

She took a second, but then nodded again.

I flipped open the knife and bent down to where she was holding out her ankle. Carefully, so as not to cut her, I held her ankle as I severed the plastic band of the tracking anklet.

I carefully put her foot back down and stood back up; she was staring down at her now bare ankle, her mind obviously spinning something that I couldn't even begin to understand.

The situation started me thinking. I didn't know yet if I trusted her. I wanted to. Tonight would push me over the fence one way or another.

**BPOV**

My ankle felt oddly light and bare without the piece of plastic strapped to it.

There was a red mark around it from where blood flow had been restricted; I would have bent down to rub it, but the risk of ripping my dress outweighed the annoyance.

"Alright, let's get going." Edward said, looking at his watch and opening the door to the back of the Mercedes for me.

I smiled at the gesture and slipped inside, watching through the tinted window as he closed it. My eyes followed him as he walked around the front of the car and opened the opposite door, sliding into the seat next to me.

"Alright, go." He said to the FBI Agent/fake driver in the front of the car.

The agent nodded and put the car in drive, soon we were pulling out of the FBI garage with Emmett and another van following.

I let my mind wander as I stared out the window. Often it kept returning to my tracker-free ankle.

"Are you nervous?" I heard Edward ask.

I pulled my gaze away from the scenery flying by and looked at him.

"Not really. You?" I asked with a small pull in my lips.

He returned the smile, "Not nervous just…slightly uneasy."

"About what?" I asked, my eyes searching his.

"I'm not sure… I guess it's just one of those feelings. Do you ever get those? It's like a tingling on the back of your neck that you can't seem to get rid of." He said.

"Can't say I have." I responded. It was true, I almost never found myself in a situation I could never get myself out of, and therefore I never really felt nervous before heists or in this case undercover operations.

I glanced out the back window once, quickly spotting the two FBI vans that were following us discreetly from a few cars away.

I returned my gaze to the front and noticed the worried look still on Edward's face.

"It'll be fine, don't worry." Without thinking, I reached out and placed my hand on top of his. He looked down at it with mild surprise; I immediately pulled it away realizing my mistake.

I continued looking out the window for the remainder of the ride.

**EPOV**

"Alright, we're here." I said, looking out the window at the line of Mercedes and limos in front of us. It was the same building as this afternoon, but now it was decorated with white lights that gave the building a glowing look.

When it was our turn, I got out the car, narrowing my eyes at the valet in the red suit who was about to open Scarlet's door, and went around to do it myself. I put my finger to my ear subtly, "Alright Emmett, are we set to go?"

"Yep, good luck." I heard from my ear.

I opened her door, taking her hand and helping her out, "Emmett and the other team are in place around each corner." I whispered as she accepted my hand and got out of the car.

Without any guidance on my part, she linked her arm with mine and painted a perfect smile on her face. I got the feeling that this was not her first time going to a party uninvited.

"How many times have you done this exactly?" I asked her quietly through my own smile.

"Oh only a few times." She responded without looking at me.

I resisted the urge to snort, not believing her for a second.

We smiled politely at the two dozen or so other couples who were all dressed accordingly in gowns and designer tuxes.

I hid my discomfort, where Scarlet was able to adapt, I could only attempt to camouflage my true self and hope that no one would look close enough to notice just how out of place I was.

We made our way to the entrance, I slowed our pace to give Scarlet an easier time to walk up the few steps in her stilettos, but she just continued walking without any hesitation. '_Obviously this isn't the first time she's worn heels either.'_

"Name, sir." The man with clipboard asked when it was our turn.

"Evan Wallace." I responded.

I watched his eyes scan the list up and down, a moment of worry overcame me and I worried that Mr. Waltman hadn't put our names on the list, but my worries were quelled when he looked up and smiled, "Please enjoy the auction."

I thanked him and Scarlet and I continued walking through the two large doors.

The room we walked into was very different from the one we had been in this afternoon. They must have began decorating very soon after we left, because now the room was flowing with waiters and lights were everywhere, giving the room a dazzling look. I had to hand it to them, they definitely knew how to throw a party.

"I'll be right back." Scarlet said, disengaging her arm from mine and immediately slipping through the throng of people. It took me about two seconds to lost sight of her.

"Damn it." I cursed under my breath, craning my neck to try and spot her.

I got more worried when she didn't come back after a couple minutes.

I put my finger to my ear, "Emmett, we may have a problem."

Just then Scarlet reappeared with two drinks in hand. I resisted rolling my eyes.

"Never mind." I said to Emmett, my eyes narrowing at her.

"Here." she said, handing me what looked like a vodka tonic with lime.

I was still looking at her incredulously, "What part of 'you never leave my sight' don't you understand?"

She just shrugged and sipped her drink, making me even more exasperated.

My mind finally caught up with what it was seeing and I grabbed the drink from her, "Are you serious, we can't be drinking. We're on the clock." I whispered fiercely, looking for somewhere to put the drinks.

"Relax" She said, snatching her drink back. "There's no alcohol in these, strictly tonic water. We have to blend in though, which means we have to _look_ like we're drinking."

I eyed her suspiciously as I took a small sip of my drink, tasting no alcohol I drank more, I didn't want to admit it, but it was a good idea.

"Are you seeing anything?" I asked her as I let my gaze wander around the room, lingering briefly on each person's face to see if anything popped out at me. There was nothing.

"I'm not getting anything, but then again, the auction doesn't start for a little while." She said, her gaze wandering too.

More people were starting to walk in and I was having a hard time looking over them all without seeming completely obvious. I noticed Scarlet was having an even harder time than I was, every time she would look over at a guy, they would see her and immediately assume she was interested in them.

I was starting to wish she had worn something that wasn't quite so…revealing.

After she had to assure a third guy that she was not trying to gain his attention, I rolled my eyes and grabbed her drink from her. Putting both of the glasses on a nearby table I grabbed her hand and pulled her over to where people were dancing.

I swung her around and her hands automatically went to my shoulders, "What the hell do you think you're doing?" She asked.

"It's easier to blend in this way, plus we can get a better look around than if we were standing in one place." I said, placing my hands on the small of her back and looking over her shoulder.

"Riiight." She said dubiously, but didn't remove her hands from where they were resting on my shoulders.

"There's Mr. Waltman." I said quietly, watching him over her shoulder. He wasn't doing a very good job of concealing his worry. His smile was strained and he kept wiping his forehead with a handkerchief that he kept inside his pocket. I watched him greet various guests, they didn't appear to notice any strain in his demeanor.

The song that was playing picked up a faster tempo that was similar to a tango and we were forced to actually start moving.

I took one of her hands in mine and started spinning around the floor with the rest of the couples.

Her hand fit perfectly in mine, and I even saw a small smile on her face when I spun her the first time. She continued to follow my lead without hesitation, and I smiled back at her.

I soon realized that she was just as smooth on the dance floor as she was off. We moved well together, and all too soon the moment overcame me and my surroundings faded a little. Micro electric shocks emanating from her hand spread through my arm and down my spine, I resisted the urge to shiver. I spun her once again and then her arm came to drape behind my neck, while the other was still gripping my hand. Freesia wafted around me, and my eyes felt heavy as I breathed it in. My arms pulled her closer automatically until her face was inches from my own. It felt like one long timeless moment that seemed to grasp us, bending us to its will and giving us no choice but to submit to it and let it take its own course.

"So how's the search coming Edward?" Came the voice of Emmett in my ear, effectively snapping me back into reality.

I cleared my throat and wiped the smile off my face, "Great." I responded gruffly, I suddenly found it more difficult to talk.

Scarlet threw me a confused look until she realized that I was talking through my earpiece.

I gave her a wary smile and led her off the dance floor, realizing that it wasn't the safest place for me.

"I think the auction is starting." I said in explanation, praying that it was.

Sure enough, Mr. Waltman was ushering people into the adjacent room and the music was starting to lower. I offered my arm to Scarlet, telling myself that it was to uphold our cover, but I knew that I was lying to myself. I smiled when she accepted and we began walking along with the rest of the crowd.

It was as we walked through the doors that I winced as there was a loud screeching in my ear, coming from the earpiece.

"Ah!" I ripped it out of my ear, cringing as my ear continued to ring.

"What happened?" Scarlet asked quietly, looking over my face.

"There's something messing with the signal." I said, looking around.

"The auction is now starting, if you could all take your seats so we can begin." Mr. Waltman said with a smile plastered on his face.

"Come on." She said, linking her arm with mine as people began to take seats.

I tucked the earpiece in my pocket before anyone saw, _'I guess we're on our own now.'_

We took seats near the back so that it would be easier to keep an eye on everybody. My eyes were still looking for anything that could be interfering with the wireless signal, but couldn't spot anything.

"Wait, this is an invitation only event, correct?" Scarlet asked, looking at me.

"Yeah, it's really exclusive. These people have been on the list for years, it's nearly impossible to gain access if you're someone new. Most of the time people buy their way in, or as they like to call it 'donate to the auction house.'" I said, looking over some of the people in the crowd.

"Well there's you answer, they must cut off wireless to discourage outsiders from contributing to the auction. And it also encourages the real members to come themselves, that way they won't just send someone in their place and tell them which items to bid on using cell phones. Think about it, if the real members come they're more likely to cut checks for donations and bid higher to uphold their image. It keeps the auction event from becoming one large anonymous event." She said.

"Makes sense…" I said, trying to follow her logic.

"We'll start the bidding at ten thousand for this gold encrusted wristwatch." Mr. Waltman said, pulling up a photo on the slide of a chunky watch that wouldn't look flattering on anybody. Yet, immediately hands were raised and thousands of dollars were called out without hesitation.

Item after item was brought up. Thousands of dollars were bid, but I couldn't spot anything suspicious.

"So what exactly are we looking for?" I whispered to Scarlet next to me about twenty minutes into the auction.

"Well, we're looking for someone who'll pay for something far over what it should sell for. And the item will have to be fairly small, most likely a piece of jewelry, definitely something over twenty grand." She said, her voice trailing off, "Hold on second."

A picture of a ring was brought onto the screen.

She began watching the crowd closely.

There were about a dozen bidders at the beginning, but then it quickly dwindled to three, each time the same guy was raising it.

"I think this may be it." Scarlet said.

"How can you be sure?" I asked, trying to see what she saw.

"We need to bid." She said without looking at me.

"What?" I asked

She turned her head to look at me, "If he's not the guy, then he'll stop bidding once the price gets absolutely ridiculous. But if he is the guy, than he needs to win the auction no matter what, otherwise he can't get the insurance pay out when the item goes 'missing'." She used air quotes around 'missing'.

"Twenty thousand dollars going once." Mr. Waltman said, looking over the crowd.

I tore my eyes away from her, _'I am so getting fired for this.'_

"Twenty one thousand!" I yelled as I raised my finger in the air, trying and failing to keep the wince off my face.

The man's head whipped around and his eyes met mine.

"Thirty thousand!" He yelled without looking away from me.

"Thirty-two thousand!" I countered.

He stared at me for a few moments, the crowd was looking back and forth between us.

"Fifty thousand!" He finally yelled out.

I gulped.

"Bid again." Scarlet whispered, nudging me.

"I don't have fifty thousand dollars." I said out of the corner of my mouth.

"He'll bid again." She said. "The item isn't worth over fifty thousand. He'll keep going."

"Fifty thousand going once!" Mr. Waltman said

"And if he doesn't?" I whispered frantically.

"He will." She said, looking me in the eye, "Trust me."

"Fifty thousand going twice!" Mr. Waltman said.

I searched her brown eyes for a moment longer before slowly nodding.

"Fifty five thousand!" I yelled, resisting the urge to close my eyes.

The man's lips were tight.

"Fifty five thousand going once!"

Silence.

"Fifty five thousand going twice!"

Silence.

"Sixty thousand." He said, and I released the breath I didn't know I had been holding.

"That's our man." Scarlet said, a smile in her voice as Mr. Waltman ended it with the bang of his gavel.

I was still finding it hard to breath, but I managed to get out, "Alright, now we know which piece is going to get taken, we'll take him down as soon as the event ends."

She began to nod, but then stopped, "Wait, where's he going?"

I did a double take, and watched as he got up from his chair and left out of the back of the room.

"Come on." I said, getting up from my chair.

She followed me, "Doesn't he have to pay for it tonight?"

"No, it's part of their policy. The bidder has two days to submit the money, whether they write a check or wire it through a bank account." I said.

"But that still doesn't explain why he's leaving, he would need to stay, case the place, at the very least he would get more information on the ring." She said.

"Unless we made a mistake, and he's not our guy." I said, watching as he walked out the front doors of the building.

"Can't we stop him?" Scarlet said, hurrying to keep up with my increased pace.

"We don't have probable cause, we were going to catch him in the act, but we can't do that if he leaves. And I can't get a hold of Emmett to watch him." I said, putting a hand to my forehead in worry and indecision.

I felt a hand on my arm, stopping me just as I was about to open the door and go after him.

"Wait, that's why we couldn't figure out how they got past the vaults security." She was talking to herself, and I had a hard time following her when she was talking so quickly.

"Scarlet, slow down." I said, gripping her shoulders.

She put a hand to her forehead, "How did I not see it?"

"Scarlet, what are you talking about?" I shook her a little, making her eyes finally focus and look at me.

"Come on, we have to go. Right now." She said, turning and walking back the way we came.

I looked after her for a moment before hurrying to catch up to her, I grabbed her wrist and stopped her, "Scarlet, you need to tell me what's going on."

"The break-in is going on right now. They're using the wireless blocker to get past security. That guy," she pointed at the door, "Was just there to bid, that way he has an alibi for the break in. The thieves must have gotten in another way, and if we don't hurry up, they're going to leave the same way and we're never going to catch them. We have to catch them before the auction ends."

"Alright, come on." I said, letting go of her wrist and walking in the direction she had previously been heading.

"But how did they get the manual vault codes, the ones without wireless?" I asked her over my shoulder as we kept walking.

"I'm not sure, they must have gotten them though, otherwise the alarms would have gone off and there would be tool marks on the vault." She said.

I glanced over my shoulder to make sure we weren't spotted and then opened the door labeled 'Employees Only' and motioning for her to follow me.

I was trying to remember which path we took to the vault this afternoon, making a couple wrong turns to dead-end hallways. I was beginning to get frustrated until I recognized the right door, I immediately tried the handle, but it was locked.

"Pick it." I said, stepping back.

She raised one eyebrow at me.

"Come on, we don't have time for you to be sarcastic." I said, gesturing to the door.

She smiled and pulled something from her hair; it took me a moment to recognize it as a bobby pin.

"Thank you Rosalie." I heard her say under her breath as she bent over and started tinkering away at the doorknob.

My eyes widened a fraction when I heard a 'click' after about ten seconds.

'_She is good, I'll give her that'_

"Let's go." She said, breaking me from my stupor. I followed in after her, closing the door behind me, I heard it lock again automatically.

We stepped forward cautiously into the empty hallway. There was a corner up ahead that wasn't far off.

I motioned for Scarlet to follow me, but placed a finger over my lips in the universal gesture for 'silent'.

We only got a few steps closer when we heard it.

"Let's hurry it up, they can't have more than a few items left to auction off."

We froze where we stood, and shared a fearful glance. I pressed my back to the wall and quickly peeked around the corner. I spotted a larger man just outside the vault, talking to whoever was inside of it before turning and walking in our direction.

I stepped away from the corner and looked at Scarlet, "If he thinks we're cops we're done for, I don't know how many guys are in there, but chances are they're armed, and if he spots us, he'll be able to warn them before we even have a chance." I whispered, glancing up and down the small hallway for somewhere to duck into, finding nothing.

"Can you pick the lock again?" I asked frantically in a hushed tone.

She shook her head, "I'm fast, but I'm not that fast."

I got a worried expression on my face, I didn't want this to become a shootout, but that was looking like the only option left.

"Edward…"

I barely heard her, I was too busy concentrating on the sound of footsteps coming closer, trying desperately to think of some way to make us disappear.

"Edward, follow my lead."

My mind caught up with what she said, "What-?"

Before I could react, she pulled me down to her by the lapels of my jacket and connected her lips to mine.

I was immediately lost, my mind swirling and blurry. It felt like every one of my nerves was on fire, consuming me and making it impossible to concentrate on anything except how soft her lips felt on mine. I could feel my heart beating in my ears, beating faster and faster.

Without thinking I backed her up until her back was pressed to the wall and my hands were resting on either side of her face, my palms flat against the wall.

She reacted and our lips moved in perfect synchronization, and for the second time that night, freesia consumed my surroundings. The air seemed to crackle with electricity around us.

"What do you think you're doing?" I heard near us, reminding me of the situation we were in.

She broke away from me; my lips mourned the loss of contact as I tried to get my mind to focus but not succeeding. I briefly saw him hide his gun behind his back, obviously not thinking of us as a threat and not wanting us to start yelling.

"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry. I didn't think anybody was back here. We were just trying to find somewhere private." Her expression was sheepish and she had her palm on her forehead as if she was embarrassed. "He works here and he had a key, so I thought…" She giggled, it was very un-Scarlet.

"You need to leave. Now." His tone was threatening, but Scarlet didn't miss a beat.

"Okay, okay." She said holding her hands up in mock surrender as she started turning around. Her eyes met mine for an instant and I saw something flash in them.

The second his eyes went away from her, she spun back and shoved him against the nearest wall, gripping his throat just below the chin.

"Hold his arms." She ordered gruffly, I immediately did as she said and pinned his arms to his body just as he was about to grab her off of him.

She had an intense look on her face as she kept her hand at his throat. I swallowed and looked back and forth between their faces. After about ten seconds his eyes began to droop and he sagged against the wall.

"What did you do?" I asked breathlessly, lowering him to the floor quietly.

"I cut off blood flow to the head by applying pressure to the carotid arteries and knocked him unconscious; he'll be fine and should come to in a few hours." She whispered.

Just to make sure, I checked his pulse, it was slow, but it was there. I grabbed the gun he dropped and tucked it into my belt behind my back.

I looked up at Scarlet, she didn't seem worried at all.

Suddenly the memory of what occurred between us moments before came rushing back, "Can we talk about what just happened?" Was what I actually asked, but what my subconscious wanted to know was if it would ever happen again.

She didn't look at me, "No time, let's go." She didn't even seemed fazed at all, completely unaffected. It made me a little angry that she could just stand there and pretend to not feel anything; I distinctly remember her reacting just as much as I had. I started and stopped talking a few times, finally choosing to say nothing at all and promising myself that we would talk about it later. For the moment, I had a job to do.

I hardened my expression, reached under my tux jacket and pulled my gun from its holster, racking the slide I moved into the weaver stance.

"Get behind me." I told her quietly.

**BPOV**

I did as he said and stepped into line behind him. His steps were calculated and even as he continued forward, taking a glimpse around the corner before continuing onward.

I smiled to myself for a moment at how very James Bond he looked, and then I shook my head and remembered that I was supposed to be following him.

My steps were automatically silent as I stayed close to him, my mind reflecting just how close I was. I took a step back.

No matter what, I would not allow my mind to wander. To anything. Especially what had happened. Realizing that for once I had managed to surprise myself in my actions. But I just pushed any ridiculous thoughts away and told myself it was the only thing I could have done at the moment to possibly save our lives.

I shook my head again, focusing on the Edward in front of me, not the one that I had been previously…engaged with.

We crept towards the vault at a slow pace, taking one cautious step at a time. We passed numerous doors, none of which were open; our eyes were on the vault.

I swallowed, and my heartbeat seemed to echo in my ears and the room, my breathing seemed unusually loud and I quickly stifled it.

We reached the vault and we both took a deep breath before he took the final stride, "FBI, freeze!"

The man dropped whatever he was holding and his hand shot for his gun which was lying on the glass counter.

"Ah ah ah." Edward said, stepping forward and snatching the gun off the counter before he could reach it.

"You are under arrest for attempted robbery, you have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law."

"Here." He said, handing the gun to me absentmindedly.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" I asked, holding it at a distance.

"I don't know, hang onto it. I'm going to take care of him. You go out into the auction area and get a hold of Emmett; the auction will hopefully be over by now. Just take it and go. Now." He said without looking at me as he resumed reading the thief his rights and pulling out his cuffs.

"You told me not to leave your sight." I interrupted him, reminding him of what he had specifically told me.

"Scarlet, we don't have time for this. Go now." He said, still not looking at me.

He was unusually bitter, my eyes narrowed and I bit back my retort. There was something he was angry at me for. I would find out what that was later.

"Oh yeah I'll just stick it in my dress, that won't be totally obvious." I told him sarcastically, my anger rising. I left the room without looking at him, holding onto the gun loosely.

I walked down the hallway, back the way we came, muttering to myself along the way and resisting the urge to growl and utter swear words with every step.

'_He's acting like a child. The last time I checked we were supposed to be a team. He has to learn to stop ordering me around when I'm trying to help.'_

I came to the end of the hallway and was met with the unconscious thief on the floor and three doors that all looked identical.

I hesitated, my eyes shifting from one door to the next.

I couldn't remember which one we had originally come through, they all looked the same.

I pulled a bobby pin from my hair once again and started on one at random, quickly realizing that it wasn't locked.

'_Strange, I could have sworn it had locked behind us.'_

I turned the knob and stepped through.

'_This is definitely not the way we came through.'_ I thought to myself.

The room was filled with file cabinets but that's not what caught my attention.

There was a window. And it was open, my eyes widened. I strode over to it, placing the gun on one of the cabinets and saw a rope tied off, ready to be used as a means of escape. Elated, I turned back to call to Edward, to tell him I found how they were going to get out of the building.

Just then a breeze streamed into the room and my body froze. I turned slowly back to the window; the breeze pushed the loose tendrils from my face, tickling my neck and cheeks softly.

My eyes closed at the feeling.

I was rooted to the spot.

'_Freedom.'_ My mind echoed.

It was within my grasp. Right in front of me.

There was no more tracking anklet. No one was watching. There was nothing stopping me. The FBI didn't know about this exit. And Edward was-

'_Edward'_

At that moment I heard the tremendous crash of glass shattering from beyond the door behind me.

My head snapped back to the door in the direction of the noise, my brow snapped together.

I could feel the breeze on my cheek again.

I looked back at the window.

The darkness beyond seemed to be beckoning me into its familiar arms. Calling to me, telling me to succumb to it and slip into its shadowy crevices.

'_You can find another way to get the file you need.'_ One half of my mind echoed softly in my mind, cajoling me to follow its advice and return to the life I lived before.

'_You can easily slip away. You've done it hundreds of times before. The FBI would never be able to catch you. Now's your chance.'_ The voice was my own, and yet it wasn't.

There was another large shattering crash from behind me followed by yelling.

My expression was pained as I looked between the window and the door.

'_Just run, no one can catch you.'_

My window of opportunity was shrinking.

'_Just run.'_

My heart was beating in my ears, faster and faster.

'_Run.'_

**A/N: I know it's been a while since I've updated, you don't have to tell me. This past month has been hell and on top of that my computer crashed. So I made this chapter extra long and hopefully you are satisfied. Reviews are always appreciated, but I'm sure you already are aware of that. They really do make me smile. I got some great ones last time with song recommendations, a lot of you seem to be Mission Impossible and James Bond fans (But that isn't really such a big surprise when you think about the content of this story). Anyways, I will try to update faster, but please have patience. :P**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT **

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* * *

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**EPOV**

I waited until Scarlet left before I finished reading the Miranda rights to the criminal.

I cleared my throat, "As I was saying, you have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you. Do you understand these rights that have been read to you?"

He said nothing and I turned him around to face me, I was greeted with a scowl.

I smiled without the warmth that would usually accompany it. "Silence huh? Never heard that before. Or I guess, not heard, would be the correct phrase." I said, crossing my arms while keeping my eyes on him.

It would be better to wait for Emmett and the rest of the team to come to me rather than dragging this guy through the whole building. There was less chance of escape for him.

"So I guess you figured that Mr. Waltman would keep his mouth shut about the robberies. That he'd rather suffer a monetary loss than lose his entire list of clientele by admitting that he was robbed. I guess it's a decent plan, but still risky when you think about all the variables that could-or I guess I should say did go wrong." I said, smiling a little. His scowl deepened at the sign of my increased enjoyment.

He sneered, "The plan was perfect, that idiot curator doesn't know a thing about security. The three of us would have been set for life because of his idiocy." He said, breaking his silence.

Something he said made me stop what I was doing.

"Wait, did you just say 'three of us'?" I asked urgently, my eyes slightly wider.

But he said nothing. He didn't have to; I heard a creak from behind me, followed by the thud of a heavy footstep that sounded extremely close.

In a fraction of a second my eyes widened and I spun, pulling my weapon from its holster simultaneously.

No later had I pulled it out was it knocked from my grip and sent flying across the room where it smashed into one of the glass jewelry cases, effectively shattering it.

My eyes followed it automatically, and when I turned back I was met with a large fist approaching my face at an alarming speed. I ducked and practically heard the 'whoosh' above my head as it missed its target.

I brought myself up to normal height once again, but this time with my palms held outward to block anything else.

A small part of my mind wondered why there was no alarm ringing in my ears. A state of the art vault like this one would ordinarily have been blaring with sounds by now.

I got a split second to size up the person attacking me and didn't like what I was met with. The man was even larger than Emmett in stature and the look on his face gave off the idea that things would not bode well for me if the fight were to continue.

I continued to hold my palms facing outward, cautious. "Sir, I'm a federal agent, I'm going to need you to stop." I said, my voice even. It was my last shot at ending this before it became an all-out fistfight.

"Kick his ass Joey!" Yelled the handcuffed thief from behind me. He was _not_ helping things.

"Joey's" only response was to send another fist flying. My physical combat training immediately took the forefront of my mind; my right palm shot out and met his approaching fist.

My eyes widened at the amount of force I felt behind his throw and a small grunt escaped me. He followed up with his left hand faster than I anticipated and I wasn't lucky enough to duck.

It met my jaw and I stumbled back, cursing in my head as I could immediately feel the shockwaves of pain trembling up my jawbone.

I could taste blood but ignored it, deciding that the rhino of a guy barreling toward me was something that I should be more concerned with.

I sidestepped, barely remaining out of his grasp, twisting around him and bringing my right elbow down on a pressure point on his back.

If I was worried before, it was nothing compared to the feeling that consumed me when a jab that would have caused a normal opponent to crumble, had no effect.

He turned quickly and I gulped when I saw an even more hostile expression on his face.

'_Oh shit.'_

Before I could react his hand shot out and grabbed me by the front of my shirt with an iron grip. My hands gripped his wrist in an attempt to pry myself from his grasp. I could feel less and less of my weight being held by my own feet and more of it being transferred to his arm.

It didn't take much for him to toss me; soon I found myself thrown into a glass display counter, feeling it crack and shatter under me. I held back a groan; I was going to be thoroughly bruised tomorrow. I didn't dwell on the fact that my tux just saved me from hundreds of stitches and focused more on the fact that I had to think of another tactic. Fast.

My focus was torn away from my opponent when I caught a glimpse of the thief I had handcuffed running out the door.

I was about to yell to him to stop but I was instead forced to roll out of the way when something metal flew into my line of vision and hit the spot I had just vacated.

It took me a second to recognize the metal object as a thin bar that had been used to hold together the now-destroyed display case.

I was supporting myself on my elbows and looked up just in time to see him swinging the metal bar down towards me like an axe at a spectacular speed.

I rush of breath escaped me and I reflexively held my forearm up to protect my face, my eyes squinting shut as I awaited the blow.

But it never came.

Confused, I opened my eyes. They widened when I was met with the sight in front of me.

Instead of the menacing rhino-sized attacker swinging four feet of metal down on me, I saw the same guy, except this time he had Scarlet clinging to his back, her arms wrapped around his neck in a ferocious chokehold.

My mouth hung agape for a moment.

"Go after him!" she yelled gruffly referring to the other thief while trying to maintain her grip.

I hesitated for a moment, torn between doing what was logical and what my emotions were telling me to do.

"Just go Edward!" She yelled again.

After one last millisecond of torn decision I pushed myself off the ground, sprinting out of the room after the first thief.

I had to grab him quickly; I wasn't sure how long Scarlet could hold up. The sooner I stopped him, the sooner I could get back to her.

I rounded the corner of the hallway and found him trying to kick open one of the doors with his hands still tied behind his back.

He glanced in my direction as I sprinted toward him and redoubled his efforts to break the door open.

"I don't think so." I said, grabbing his shirt by the shoulder and pulling him back from the door.

He started struggling, yelling profanities and various things about my mother, trying to kick me any chance he got.

My eyes searched quickly, I opened various doors while keeping a firm grip on him. I finally found what I was looking for- a broom closet.

"You have the right to remain silent, so just shut up already." I said as I shoved him inside, slamming the door behind him.

I pulled a nearby table in front of the door, locking him in for the time being.

With no time to lose, I turned back towards the direction of the vault and ran.

* * *

**BPOV**

My grip was iron tight around his neck; I bent my elbow until I had him in a chokehold. He began twisting and turning and it was getting increasingly harder to maintain my grip.

A brief thought flew across my mind, _'Yep, definitely should have jumped out the window when I had the chance.'_ Before I regained my focus.

If I didn't keep constant pressure on the arteries in his neck he wouldn't go down and I would be in trouble.

He swung around once more and before I could figure out what he was doing the air was ripped from my lungs as he slammed backwards into a wall.

I saw stars for a few moments as I tried to take in air. I was disoriented enough that my grip loosened as I tried to refocus myself.

He reached a hand back and the next thing I knew I was being pulled from his back and thrown forward over his shoulder onto the ground below.

I felt my skin sting as I landed on broken glass and tried not to wince.

I didn't have long to recover and sucked in air as I felt a blow to my abdomen and rolled in an attempt to get out of the range of his kicks.

'_Son of a-'_

I gasped as I felt another blow hit me in the lower black, close to my kidney. I cracked my eyes open and saw something through blurry eyes. Edward's gun.

I crawled forward quickly trying to close the distance between myself and the weapon I didn't get very far before I felt a hand wrap around my ankle and I was dragged backwards.

'_I am getting so sick of this!'_

I flipped myself over onto my back and swung my other leg around, kicking him effectively over the side of the head with my stiletto clad foot, satisfied when his grip loosened and I was able to pull my leg free.

I wasted no time in picking myself and putting distance between us. I ran, hoisting myself over one of the countertops and sliding across the glass until I was able to drop to the other side.

Enough adrenaline was pumping through my body that I couldn't yet feel the pain that was sure to come.

I ducked when a large shard of glass came flying at me, whizzing by and implanting itself into the wall behind me.

"Oh come on already!" I growled, watching as he grabbed a few more large shards of glass and sent them flying at me. I dodged, weaved and ducked multiple times, barely avoiding each piece.

It was as he was bending down to grab more pieces that a tuxedo-clad Edward tackled him by the midsection.

"About damn time!" I yelled.

"Well sorry, I was a little busy." He said, his voice strained as he attempted to pin down the assailant, but not quite succeeding.

Pretty soon they were wrestling on the ground and I jumped into action. I placed my hands on the counter again and hoisted myself back over.

I sprinted back over to the spot where I had previously seen Edward's gun, searching the spot for it.

'_Where the hell did it go?'_

I heard them struggling and quickly dropped down to all fours and started searching more thoroughly.

I saw it in a small space between the bottom of the display case and the floor, figuring it must have gotten kicked underneath at some point in the struggle.

I reached my arm under, my muscles straining, feeling my fingers brush against the cool metal briefly, just out of my reach.

I turned my head and saw the tides had turned with Edward's struggle. He was now beneath the assailant who had his hand around Edward's throat.

Fear gripped me for a moment and I redoubled my efforts, stretching my arm further underneath, grazing the weapon a few more times before I was able to grab onto it and pull it from underneath the counter.

"Edward!" I called, gaining his attention as I slid the weapon to him.

He grabbed it just as he rolled with the thief, racking the slide and putting it to the man's chest in one fluid motion.

"I recommend that you cease and desist." Edward said breathlessly, pressing the weapon further into the man's chest.

After a few tense moments, the man reluctantly stopped.

My head dropped back as I laid there on the vault floor, breathing heavily but thoroughly relieved.

"FBI!" I rolled my head towards the vault entrance and watched as Emmett and his posse stormed inside.

"Oh so _now_ is a convenient time for you guys to drop by?" I said, still slightly out of breath as I lifted and dropped my arms back onto the floor beside me in exasperation.

I heard chuckling coming from my left and looked over to see Edward grinning at me from where he was hunched over his knees, out of breath.

* * *

**EPOV**

"You know, you really do have terrible timing." I said as one of the thieves was being put into the back of a cop car.

"Sorry about that, it took us a while to secure the room outside after the earpiece signal went fuzzy." He said, shutting the car door behind the criminal and tapping twice on the top of the car which then proceeded to pull away from the curb.

"Yeah, at least you came at all, though I think Scarlet is still a little bitter." I said with a smile.

He chuckled, "Yeah, so where is Ms. Kickass?" He said, straining his neck to try and spot her.

"She's near the ambulance, the paramedics are checking out the guy she knocked out." I said my gaze looking in that direction.

He nodded and got an interesting look on his face, "So what happened exactly after the earpiece stopped working?" He said, looking at me with one eyebrow raised.

I cleared my throat awkwardly and pushed myself off the van, "I'm going to head over there." and started heading for the paramedics.

"Oh, so something _did_ happen?" He said, a large smile on his face as I walked away.

"Hey Ed hold up a sec." I reluctantly turned around and saw Emmett rummaging through the back of the FBI van for something, when he found what he was looking for he turned around and tossed it to me.

I caught it easily, immediately recognizing it as a new anklet tracker for Scarlet.

"Thanks." I said, completely forgetting about the fact that she wasn't wearing one, my mind elsewhere.

I fiddled with the piece of plastic as I walked, my mind wandering back to what it was that I was so reluctant to tell Emmett.

My mind was trying to analyze it, pick it apart until I could understand it. But by the time I got over to the paramedics I was still just as lost as before.

"Hey." She said when I reached the back of the ambulance.

I looked up from the anklet that I had been inadvertently looking at on my walk over.

I responded with a short smile, my gaze shifting over to the paramedics who were measuring the pulse of the unconscious thief.

"Is he going to be okay?" I asked them warily.

One of them looked up at me, "Yeah, he'll be fine, just a little light-headed." He said, his eyes shifting to Scarlet briefly in suspicion.

I looked back at Scarlet, but she wasn't looking at me, she was looking at the anklet in my hands.

I watched her eyes for a moment, there was something turning in them that I didn't understand.

I cleared my throat, causing her eyes to meet mine and I noticed that the previous look had been wiped away.

It was then that I noticed she was standing strangely. Her weight was shifted to her right side and her left hand was crossed in front of her chest, wrapped around the upper part of her arm.

"Are you okay?" I asked, watching her carefully.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She answered briskly, "Did you want me to put that on?" She asked, it took me a moment to realize she was talking about the anklet.

"Yeah." I said, shaking my head a little bit to clear it, hesitating for a second before bending down and reattaching it to her ankle.

I returned to my normal height after making sure that it was secure and was about to say something to her when I noticed she was rather pale.

My eyes zeroed in on her hand covering her arm.

"We should probably get going," She turned and took a step away from me, "We don't-"

My eyes narrowed in suspicion and my hand reached out and pulled her hand from where it was covering her arm, my eyes widening when I saw blood.

"Scarlet!" I yelled, using my other hand to turn her back around.

"What?" She said, trying to cover her arm again, barely managing to cover her wince.

"What do you mean 'what?', you're bleeding!" I said, turning her more so I could see her arm.

My outburst gained the attention of the paramedics who immediately dropped what they were doing and hurried over to us.

"It's nothing." She said, I noticed that her skin was even more pale than usual.

"That is definitely not nothing." I said, "Will you guys help her out?" I said, looking at the paramedics and gesturing to Scarlet who was eyeing them with skepticism.

They made her sit down on the back of the ambulance and immediately got to work on the large cut on her upper arm.

"How did that happen?" I asked her, watching as the guys took a pair of tweezers and pulled a tiny shard of glass from the wound, answering my question.

"I landed on some glass." She said, trying to shrug it off but quickly decided that wasn't the best idea while the paramedic was digging for glass.

"Why didn't you tell me? Or anyone for that matter?" I asked, wondering why on earth she would try to hide it and refuse medical attention.

She winced as he applied an alcohol swab to the wound.

"Does she need stitches?" I asked him, my eyebrows pulled together in worry.

Her face snapped to meet mine, her eyes wide, before looking at the paramedic.

"No, she'll be fine with a bandage wrap." He said, and I saw Scarlet instantly relax.

He rummaged in his medic bag, and soon came up with a roll of white bandage. I watched carefully as he took her arm and wrapped the bandage around it until the cut was completely covered. She watched him with hawk-eyes, she was extremely tense, but color was returning to her face. As soon as he finished she stood up quickly from her seat and came to stand beside me, anxious to leave.

"Alright? Can we go now?" She asked, both eyebrows raised, looking back and forth between the paramedic and me.

"Well that depends." I said, my arms crossed.

"On what!" She yelled, an expression of disbelief on her face.

"On whether or not you have any other injuries that constitute a stop at the emergency room on our way home." I said, looking at her with my arms still crossed and my eyes narrowed.

"Nothing you need to worry about." She said with an expression that clearly said, 'why do you care so much?', and walked past me toward the car.

I let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding.

'_But that's just the question isn't it.'_

Why _did_ I care so much?

* * *

**EPOV (****a couple hours later)**

My legs hung over the side of the roof of the apartment building, swinging over nothing but air. My bowtie was undone and hanging haphazardly around my neck.

I'd been coming up to sit on the roof of my apartment building ever since I moved in. The view was incredible and it was a good place to come and think.

I brought the bottle of beer to my lips and took a long swig, reflecting everything that had happened in the past twenty-four hours.

I had a bruise the size of a baseball on my cheek and I had a feeling I would be drinking a majority of my meals for the next week until my jaw didn't throb.

I had managed to pick most of the shards of glass out of my tux, satisfied when wasn't as damaged as I had originally thought.

The criminals were in lock-up, fully contained and ready for prosecution. The stolen jewels were being retrieved and returned to their rightful owners.

…

But that wasn't really what my mind wanted to think about.

No, my mind wanted to think about what happened before the criminals were in handcuffs. Before the insanity in the vault.

The memory played over and over and over again in my mind. Her hands. Her lips…

I shook my head a little to clear the haze.

I was still having trouble analyzing that kiss.

One part of me was on the side that it didn't mean anything. That it was the only thing that could have 'saved' us in the situation. That I was overreacting about something that was actually nothing.

While another part…

Well, the other part was more in favor of the idea that it wasn't nothing. That I wasn't just imaging her reactions at the time.

'_What the hell are you doing!'_ The first part of my mind yelled. _'She's a criminal!'_

'_But what if she isn't just a criminal to you?'_ The second part countered.

I let out a long breath and swirled what remained of my beer in the bottle, just as lost as before.

I must have been really out of it because I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard someone talking.

"Mind if I join you?" She asked. I long ago stopped wondering why I can never hear her approaching.

I looked at her for a moment before my mind caught up with the fact that she had asked a question.

"Y-yeah. Go right ahead." I said, watching her carefully as she came over and sat on the ledge a few feet to my right, her arms crossing and resting on one of the shorter metal bars of the handrail. She was no longer wearing the skintight dress and stiletto heels, instead adorning jeans and a simple t-shirt. I was thankful for the new attire, I wasn't sure I would have been able to focus otherwise.

I cleared my throat and reached behind me to grasp one of the bottles, I offered it to Scarlet but she shook her head.

I shrugged and placed the dejected bottle on the cement floor beside me.

Silence.

After a few moments I decided to break it, I cleared my throat again, "How did you know I was up here?" My fingers drummed on the bottle, it was the only sign of my nervousness.

I looked at her, she was looking out at the spectacular view in front of us, one that I had seen hundreds of times but never failed to be in awe of.

"I didn't." was her simple response. When I realized that was all she was going to say I returned my gaze to the sight in front of me.

The wind blew softly against my face, bringing with it the sounds of Chicago nightlife. There was a faint hum of club music from somewhere down on the street level, cars whizzing by, and of course a few sirens. Skyscrapers filled the dark horizon, illuminating it with patches of bright lights. It was oddly tranquil.

"This is usually where I come to think." I admitted into the silence, glancing at her out of the corner of my eye for her reaction. If she was surprised, she didn't show it.

It was a few moments later that I heard her say, "About what?"

I clock tower rang somewhere in the distance, softly alerting me that it was midnight.

I shrugged in response to her question, not about to admit that the subject of my thoughts was sitting beside me.

"What about you? Why are you up here?" I asked, turning my head to look at her.

"You know what, I will have one of those." She said, uncrossing her arms to reach over and grab the bottle from beside me. I smiled at her attempt to avoid the question.

"Here." I began fishing in my pocket for the bottle-opener that was on my keychain.

Instead, with a practiced hand she used the metal handrail as leverage and pried the cap off in record time and took a swig.

"Or not." I said with a chuckle. She really never ceased to surprise me.

"Where'd you learn to do that?" I asked with a smile, truly impressed.

"My dad." She said with a small smile.

Silence.

I brought the bottle to my lips to hide my surprise. She never talked about her past. Ever. My curiosity was piqued.

I hesitated a second before speaking, "Did he teach you the rest of your tricks?" I smiled, forcing humor into my tone to disguise my interest. I was wondering how much she would tell me.

She still had a small smile on her lips when she shook her head, still looking out at the skyscrapers in the distance, the wind blowing her hair back out of her face.

"No. My parents were different." Her voice was distant. We were both looking at the same view, but something told me she was seeing something entirely different.

The use of the past tense 'were' did not escape me. I took another sip of my drink, thinking that perhaps I had pried too far.

I swallowed hard, not sure how to continue the conversation.

"So earlier…in the vault, why didn't you just stop the first thief? You must have just passed him before you came back for me." I asked, switching the direction of the conversation.

She laughed, "You sound as if you're upset. Sorry for thinking that saving your ass was more important at the time." She took a drink of her beer with a smile.

"Hey, I was in complete control of the situation." I said in mock hurt, but had an equal smile on my face.

"Oh yeah, you definitely had him. That's an interesting tactic you had, what's it called? Cower and fear?" She said. The corner of her lips pulled up into her natural smirk. It was definitely beginning to be one of my favorite smiles on her, even if it was at my expense a majority of the time.

"I had a plan." I said defiantly.

"Mmmhhmm, sure. I'll tell you what, next time I'll wait until the bad guy beats you to death before stepping in." She said, her tone completely serious, but the smirk remained prominent.

"Thank you. That's all I ask." I said with a chuckle, marveling at how carefree the situation was. It was unusual for me to laugh this much in a single sitting.

I sighed, but it wasn't downbeat, merely something to fill the gap of silence. The hum of nightlife filled my ears once again and I breathed in the cool night air.

I heard her clear her throat, "So you never answered my question." I could hear a smile in her voice, and looked at her suspiciously.

I raised my eyebrow, "What question?"

"The one where I asked you what you think about whenever you come up here." She took a swig of her drink while remaining eye contact.

I swallowed, looking away.

"Who said I've come up here before?"

She threw me a look.

"Alright fine." I said, admitting defeat with a sigh, "I come up here whenever I've got a lot on my mind, usually after a hard case."

She nodded her head slowly as if she had assumed as much.

"I suppose today would count as one of those days." She said, looking over at me.

Her eyes shifted to something on my face and I saw a smile crack on her face.

"He got you pretty good." She said and reached her free hand out slowly and before I realized what she was doing, she placed her fingertips on my jaw, lightly touching the large bruise there. I felt a small shiver go through me, realizing that it wasn't from being outside.

I swallowed, part of my brain reveling in the fact that her touch felt extremely soothing on the sensitive skin, the other part was telling me that I was heading into a dangerous situation at an alarming rate.

Her thumb traced my jaw line with a feather light touch and my eyes closed at the sensation.

All of the sudden I felt her hand stop.

"I should go."

My eyes shot open and I cleared my throat. Watching as she began to stand up.

'_Don't go.'_ Thought one part of my mind.

I could have a said a million different things to try and make her stay but I hesitated.

'_This is dangerous territory.' _Thought another part of my mind.

In the end I would have settled for saying anything.

But the words stuck in my throat and I sat there and watched her slip through the roof's door.

'_You're an idiot.'_

I couldn't argue with that one.

* * *

**BPOV**

I slipped through the roof's door and closed it behind me, leaning back against it and closing my eyes.

I let out the breath I had been holding.

'_Scarlet, what the hell are you doing?'_ My thoughts asked.

That was one question I wish I knew the answer to.

* * *

**A/N: I managed to update faster than last time, go me. How is it that every time I post a new chapter for this story, over five thousand people read it that day and yet only about three percent review? I must sound like a broken record by now, but reviews really are a good incentive for me to keep writing. For those of you who review every time, you're awesome. For those of you who don't… I'm not liking you as much right now. If you can't think of anything to say, how about telling me what you would like to see in the next chapter? **


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT **

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**BPOV**

I rolled over in my bed, tossing and turning. My mattress seemed unusually uncomfortable and the comforter was suffocating.

With a huff of annoyance I peeled back the blanket from my body, immediately feeling the soothing effects of the cool air that was blowing in from the window.

My eyes were open. I looked at my window; the white curtains billowed softly inward, almost as if they were sighing. I could hear the noise that was affiliated with city traffic softly streaming in.

I let the breeze wash over me, begging it to erase the confusion that was permeating my conscious mind. It was like a wall had been built in my mentality, blocking me from getting to sleep or thinking straight. And until I found a way over it, around it, through it, whatever, I would be stuck with the trouble it caused.

I rolled away from the window, shutting my eyes once again, attempting to calm my mind and succumb to the sleep I desperately needed and wanted.

Eventually, the sounds of Chicago faded away and the surreality of dreams swept in. I soon realized that my dream was more memory than imagination. I was whisked away to a place that I had been before, but never wanted to go back to…

"_Jake stop!" I laughed as he tickled my sides, I was having a hard time breathing. I saw the walls of my dorm room through crinkled eyes._

_His smile matched my own as he laughed and continued to tickle the exposed skin where my shirt had ridden up on the sides._

"_I'm serious!" I laughed, trying to push him away. There was somewhere I needed to be, but I was having a hard time remembering what it was at the moment. "Seriously, I have to go!"_

"_Are you sure you can't stay an extra day?" He asked, poking his bottom lip out._

"_Your puppy-dog pout has no affect on me." I said, sitting up on my bed and straightening my shirt._

"_Are you sure?..." He asked with a knowing smile, his eyes dancing with mirth._

_I narrowed my eyes at him but the false hostility was soon broken with a smile of my own that crept up on its own volition._

"_I'm only going home to see my parents for a week, so it's not like I'm going to be gone that long." I said, knowing fully well that it would feel like forever until I saw him again._

"_I suppose…" He said, his lips turned downward._

_I leaned in and quickly brushed my mouth against his, we were both wearing matching smiles when I pulled away._

"_I'll be back before you know it."_

The walls of my dorm faded and morphed into a new scene. An older memory that I would have rather left unperturbed.

"_Ten bucks says she can't do it." Emby said, looking at Quil and Jacob as we all walked side by side._

"_You're on!" Jacob said, wrapping his arm around my shoulder and tugging me closer._

"_You really think she can open it?" Quil asked incredulously._

"_Well, what kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't support her?" He said, tugging me even closer. I smiled up at him._

_When I told him about how I was pretty nifty with locks, I hadn't given it a second thought._

_But then he asked if I would show him._

'_Why not?' I had thought. This was a time before my gut instinct was what I listened to._

_His dad had an old safe in his office that Jacob said I could use. So we all walked down to Jake's house and he showed me into the office and pulled a small cabinet out of the way to reveal a small wall safe._

"_Go for it." He said with a smile, his eyes crinkling._

_I smiled back at him and got to work, feeling elated that he had so much faith in me._

_Soon my cheek was pressed against the cold unrelenting metal of the safe. My hands were holding onto it softly. The last thing I wanted to do was let Jake down._

_I breathed in, allowing everything around me to fade until it was just me and the safe._

_I had asked Jake earlier, so I already knew that there were three numbers I had to uncover, meaning that there were three wheels to the safe._

_I placed my right hand on the dial softly, and let myself feel exactly what was happening._

_It took me a moment of turning, but soon I found the contact area, feeling where the lever was coming into contact with the notch on the drive cam._

_Then, with a practiced hand, I spun the dial until I had all three internal wheels resting at zero._

_I breathed in deeply._

_Here comes the hard part…_

_I began spinning the dial in the opposite direction, my eyes closing, my breath holding, I listened._

_I don't know how I felt it, but I did. The dip was so miniscule, but it was there. Anyone else would have assumed I was insane, that there was no notch in the wheel, but they would be wrong. I didn't know how I could tell, but I could._

_I opened my eyes and looked at the number I was at: Fourteen._

'_One down, two to go.'_

_I went back to contact and began turning in the opposite direction once again, slowly, so slowly._

_My eyes opened when I felt the second notch: Fifty-seven._

_I breathed out again before closing my eyes once more._

_For the last time I spun the dial back to the contact area and crossed over, spinning once again in the opposite direction._

_Silence…_

_Silence…_

'_Click.'_

_I smiled as I opened my eyes once again: Twenty-Eight._

_From here it was guesswork. I had the correct numbers, but I didn't have the order they went in. With a three number combination there are only six possible combinations. With four numbers there are twenty-four possibilities. I was lucky in this case, because if this safe had had six numbers, I would have to run through seven hundred and twenty combinations until I found the right one._

_I started first in the order that I found them._

'_fourteen…' I spun the dial clockwise_

'_fifty-seven…' I spun it counterclockwise._

'_twenty-eight…' I continued spinning until I hit the number._

_I tried the handle…_

_Nothing._

'_Alright, next combination.'_

_I kept spinning and turning, trying out each ordered pair until finally…_

_The handle turned._

_I let out a satisfied sigh at the sound._

_I opened the safe's door and stepped back, allowing those standing behind me to see my accomplishment._

_Quil and Embry both showed signs of shock and awe, immediately coming forward to take a closer look._

_I looked to Jacob, he sent me a dazzling smile that made butterflies flutter in my stomach. He had that kind of effect on me._

_I didn't know it then, but I would come to regret revealing to him what I had._

_There are some talents that you can't take back once someone knows you have them._

I woke up with a gasp, taking in lungfuls of air. I sat up in bed, running a hand through my hair, my hand shaking slightly.

The amount of relief that poured through me the moment my apartment came into focus calmed me beyond measure.

'_Get a grip! You've jumped off sixty-foot buildings, hung from cars going over sixty miles an hour and __**now**__ a stupid dream has you rattled! Get. A. Grip.'_

I let myself fall back onto the bed, covering my eyes with my hand and breathing deeply.

"Why _now_? I thought I put all of that behind me." I groaned into the darkness, but received no answer.

After a moment I returned my hand to my side, telling myself not to look at the alarm clock on my nightstand because it would only make it all too clear how little sleep I was getting.

I rolled away from it so as not to tempt myself, closing my eyes for what I hoped would be the last time until morning

* * *

**EPOV**

It was rare when I dreamed. Or at least it was rare when I remembered having a dream.

Usually I was so completely exhausted when I went to bed that the only thing I ever saw was the back of my eyelids.

But for some reason tonight was definitely different…

_Green arose out of the darkness surrounding me, covering everything. It took a while before leaves and tall trees began etching themselves out into realistic shapes._

_I looked up and squinted at the brightness seeping in through the trees, it gave wherever I was a soft glow._

_It was the 'wherever' part of that statement that worried me. I looked around some more, bewildered._

_Eventually my surroundings came into focus enough for me to recognize that I was standing at the edge of some sort of meadow._

_There was grass beneath my bare feet-why I wasn't wearing shoes seemed oddly unimportant at the moment-and I felt its softness that I often missed in the urban setting of my everyday life. _

_The longer I stood there the more details appeared to come into focus. Tree after tree filled my vision, some adorning large amounts of moss. I turned my and noticed there were flowers scattered randomly in the grass, sometimes clustered in small bunches- purple and a light blue dots poking up through the grass daintily. The meadow itself couldn't have been more than thirty feet across, but it seemed like a never-ending sea of green._

'_Where am I?' I asked, but I wasn't sure if I was actually saying it out loud or if I was thinking it. I could hear it, but it seemed to echo in the way that you hear your own thoughts in your mind._

_I turned around over and over again, but for some reason I was unworried. It was just me and the endless amount of trees. I began to notice birds chirping somewhere high up, but no matter how I craned my neck I couldn't spot them._

_I shrugged and began walking into the center of the meadow, my feet leaving evanescent impressions in the grass._

_I looked up once again when I got to the center, feeling the warm rays of soft sunlight hitting my face I smiled._

_It was serene and peaceful, unlike anything I had ever seen before. Most of my life I had been surrounded by the concrete and stone of the city, being here was a refreshing change. I breathed deeply, filling my lungs to the brim with the fresh air._

_Because it felt like the most natural thing to do at the moment, I decided to lie down for a while. _

_I closed my eyes, now feeling the sun warming my eyelids and lay with my hands behind my head-completely at ease._

_I breathed deeply, feeling my skin tingle from the warmth._

"_It's called lucid dreaming."_

_My eyes shot open at the voice. My head turned to the side and I saw Scarlet laying in the same position I was a few feet to my right. Her face was directed upward but her eyes were closed against the sun's rays, basking in its warmth._

"_What?" _

_Her eyes opened and she rolled her head toward me._

"_Lucid dreaming. It's where you're aware that you're dreaming and you can manipulate your surroundings however you want." She said, turning her head back once again to the sun and closing her eyes._

"_So this is a dream?" I asked._

"_Well I don't think those trees are indigenous to downtown Chicago." She said with her usual sarcastic smile._

_I let that sink in. I could hear the birds chirping once again._

"_So let me get this straight." I said, causing her to look at me once again. "I can change this dream any way I want?"_

_She nodded._

_I looked to my side and plucked one of the blue flowers from the grass._

"_So say I wanted to change the color of this flower, I can just-" I watched as the blue drained from the flower and became a deep shade of orange. I smiled, spinning the new flower by its stem before placing it beside me._

"_So if this is my dream…why are you here?" I asked her._

_She smiled, "I guess your mind couldn't wait until morning to see her." _

"_Who?"_

"_Scarlet."_

"_Aren't you-"_

"_No, I'm just a figment your subconscious created for this dream. So the extent of my knowledge in this situation stretches only as far as yours does."_

"_So I'm basically just talking to myself here." I concluded._

"_Yeah, pretty much." She answered. _

_I wasn't sure what to do with that so I just let my eyes wander over my surroundings._

"_So, what is this place? I mean, where are we?" I asked, letting my eyes trail over the trees once again._

_She looked around at everything, as if thinking it over. "I think this is the place on that postcard you saw in the drugstore that one time. Remember, you were stuck in that long line where it seemed like everyone chose that day to move ridiculously slow. You started flipping through the postcard rack and this one caught your eye. I guess it stuck for some reason." She said, "Though you seem to have added some of your own details."_

"_Yeah, I didn't think I was creative enough to create this place." I said, slightly disappointed._

"_Well if it's any consolation, you got practically every single detail of Scarlet down pat." She said with that same knowing smile. "Doesn't that tell you something?"_

"_Well I'm around you-her practically every second of every day." I retorted. "And I have a good memory."_

_She just rose her eyebrow a fraction, holding the 'you're full of crap' expression expertly._

_I sighed and returned my gaze to the sky above me, not liking where the conversation was heading._

"_You can't keep denying it forever." She said in a know-it-all voice._

"_Denying what?" I asked._

"_Well for starters, the fact that you're attracted to a criminal. Which pretty much goes against every rule in your moral rulebook." She said._

"_I'm not denying the fact that she's attractive." I said, my tone defensive._

"_Oh, I think your level of attraction is a little more intense than flirting over a cup of coffee." She said, a hint of a smile behind her tone._

_I swallowed hard._

"_I mean come on, you're dreaming about her- a girl that you're pining after but don't actually have the guts to do anything about it."_

"_Who says I don't have the guts, I'm a federal agent for god's sake." I retorted quickly._

"_Do I need to remind you that I'm just a figment of your subconscious? Meaning that when I call you a coward, it's actually your own mind that's admitting to it."_

_I narrowed my eyes at her._

"_It's not that easy."_

"_It's only hard if you want it to be." She said, closing her eyes and facing the sun above with a soft smile adorning her lips, soaking in the warmth that was offered._

"_Well what am I supposed to do?"_

"_How am I supposed to know, I'm just here so that you can have someone to debate your conflicted feelings with." She said, pausing for a moment before continuing with a smile, "Though it does say something about you."_

"_Like what?"_

_She rolled her head to look at me, "When most men dream about a woman, the situation usually does not involve much talking."_

_It grew quiet for a moment as my mind thought about what that could entail._

_Before I could react, she rolled on top of me, supporting herself by placing either hand beside each of my shoulders. Her hair was hanging down in soft tendrils, the downcast sunlight making it shimmer._

"_You should really be careful about where you let your mind wander to in a dream." She whispered._

_Her brown eyes danced as she smiled and I saw small gold flecks illuminate and sparkle._

_She leaned down until her lips were hovering centimeters from mine, her hair tickling my face._

"_If you want her…" She whispered._

_My eyes closed automatically as the scent of freesia and vanilla battled for dominance in the forefront of my mind, mingling and messing with all of my senses until the ability to think straight was completely obliterated._

"_Do something about it…" She whispered, her breath fanning across my lips._

I opened my eyes expecting to see her sparkling amber eyes above me, but instead saw the poor paint job of my ceiling. I growled at it. Who knows where that dream would have gone if I had remained asleep.

Then after a second thought, _'maybe it's better that it didn't'_ I wouldn't have been able to think about anything else the entire day.

One thing's for sure.

I would definitely remember that dream.

* * *

**BPOV **

My fingers on my right hand drummed on the table while my left hand gripped my cup of coffee tighter than was necessary.

I realized how hard I was clenching and immediately released my grip, pursing my lips when I saw that my cup was slightly bent out of shape.

My eyes rose when I heard footsteps behind me, deep thuds that dragged slightly.

I closed my eyes with a sigh, not even bothering to turn around when I said, "No Mike, I'm not interested."

He came around to face me, dusting his hands off on his apron. "Are you sure? I could buy you another coffee…or dinner?" He asked, his face bright and hopeful with the exuberant smile that I had come accustomed to seeing on his face.

"Mike, we've been over this multiple times." I said, my eyes narrowing, "My answer is still no."

"Oh come on, I bet we could have a lot of fun." He smiled, obviously not getting the idea.

"No." I said with finality.

"We could-"

"No."

"Are you su-"

"Leave." I said, my tone holding a tremendous weight. "Now."

His eyes widened in surprise, but he listened nonetheless, backing away slowly.

I released the sigh that had been threatening to escape, feeling slightly guilty for snapping at him. I doubt it really affected him though; I wouldn't be surprised if he was just as determined the next time I walked in there.

I rubbed my eyes then grabbed my distorted cup and sipped cautiously at the scalding liquid inside, grumbling when I felt the tip of my tongue burn.

The fact that I felt like I had no clue what I was doing anymore, was not comforting. I was so used to everything being meticulously planned out to the second, where there were no longer any variables that could harm me. Now though…

'_Focus! You're just supposed to get in, get out, and be done with it.'_ My mind reminded me. _'This is too important to let something stupid get in the way.'_

I felt like slamming my forehead down on the table in exasperation.

"Sorry I'm late." I looked up to see Alice sliding into the seat across from me, a huge smile stretched on her face practically radiating sunlight onto those surrounding her-whether they wanted it or not.

However, that same ray of sunshine was swept away once she caught sight of me.

"You look like hell."

My eyes narrowed even though she was right, I did look like hell.

I had dark circles under my eyes from lack of sleep, my hair was frizzy and unkempt, and I was bruised enough that even the slightest instances of contact felt like new blows. Plus I had the stylish white bandage wrapped around my arm that would be my constant ever-irritating companion until the wound healed.

"What happened?" She asked, her eyes wide.

I let out a short breath and shifted position at the table so that I was supporting my head with my hand.

"It's a long story that involves a lot of fighting." I said, taking a small, cautious sip of my drink. The fact that my caffeine was still not drinking temperature did little to help my mood.

"Well, I'm not seeing Jasper until later tonight so we've got plenty of time." She said with a smile.

'_So __**that's**__ why she's so happy.'_ I thought to myself.

"So I guess things with Jasper are going well." I said.

She smiled the second I mentioned his name and I knew right that second that she was long gone.

I rolled my eyes; the look did not escape her.

"Oh come one Scarlet, I can't help it. He's just…perfect." She gushed.

"Of course he is." I said sarcastically. I brought my cup to my lips, no longer caring if it burned my tongue, the need for caffeine outweighed everything else.

"Well it doesn't matter what you think about my relationship, because I want to hear about what happened last night." She said, looking straight at me.

I went back and forth with my decision about whether or not I wanted to delve into the lengthy story. After a moment or two I thought _'Why not? It'll get my mind off other things.'_

"Alright." I sighed and started telling her what had happened from the second Edward and I set out for the auction event to the end of it. I decided to leave out what happened on the rooftop, for some reason I didn't feel like sharing that particular moment.

When I finally finished the story, my coffee cup was empty and the morning rush was now gone from the coffee shop, leaving only a handful of people scattered among the tables.

She was silent for a few moments, letting everything I told her sink in.

I began drumming my fingers on the table, still waiting for some type of reaction.

"So let me get this straight." She said, looking at my with a look of disbelief, "You kissed him? You actually kissed him?"

"Seriously? I tell you that entire story and _that's _the only part you're interested in?" I said, wondering why I was even surprised.

She had a smug smile on her face, one that blatantly said 'I knew it.'

"Would you stop giving me that look, it's really unattractive." I said.

She tried to quell her smile but was having some difficulty.

"Alright, yeah I kissed him, only because I was trying to keep our cover and it was my only option if I didn't want to get shot." I said, defending myself.

"You keep telling yourself that." She smirked over her coffee cup; I could still see the corner of her lip twitching.

It was a few moments before she said, "So when are you going to see him again?"

I leaned back in my chair, "Not sure. He's just working on paperwork today, but as soon as we get a new case he'll come get me." I said, my finger tracing the rim of my coffee cup.

"Great, then you guys can get back to 'working'." She said, using air quotes around the last word.

My eyes narrowed automatically as my mind thought of what she could mean by that.

* * *

**EPOV**

"Hold the door!" I heard faintly and I quickly pushed the button to keep the elevator doors open.

A guy roughly my age rushed in, trying to balance a few cups of coffee in one hand and files in the other.

"Thanks." He said breathlessly, I could tell he really meant it.

"No problem, where are you headed?" I asked him, my fingers hovering over the buttons.

"Thirty-sixth floor."

My brow drew together. That was my floor.

Regardless, I pushed the button.

It was silent for a few floors before curiosity got the better of me.

"So what brings you up to Major Crimes? I haven't seen you around before, are you new?" I asked, turning my head to look at him.

He smiled, "Well no actually I work in the records department. The only reason I'm up here is to drop off these files." He raised the arm with the folders "But to tell you the truth, I'm mainly going up there because of a girl that works there. When I heard that some files needed to be taken there I jumped at the chance, I thought I might bring her coffee, you know?"

I smiled back but I was instantly suspicious.

A few floors later I broke the silence once again, clearing my throat.

"Which girl?" I asked nonchalantly.

"What?" He asked, not having heard me.

I shrugged, "I know most of the people on the floor, maybe I know her."

"Ummm…I think I heard someone call her Scarlet." He said.

My mind halted and my eyes narrowed automatically.

I tried to get a good look at this guy out of the corner of my eye. Sizing him up. It didn't really matter whether he was any competition to me, as far as my mind was concerned, he needed to go.

The door let out a 'ding' at our floor and the doors eased open.

He began walking forward and I strode by, bumping his arm with the coffee, sending the scalding liquid out of balance and effectively onto his clean-pressed shirt.

"Oooh, sorry about that man. You gotta be more careful with hot liquids, you wouldn't want to burn yourself." I said, slipping out of the elevator. I smiled in satisfaction as the doors closed on him attempting to wipe coffee off of his shirt, cursing abundantly.

I probably could have just told him that Scarlet wasn't here today, but then he probably would have just come back tomorrow.

I was whistling happily as I walked into my office, not noticing the strange looks I was receiving by those I passed.

It couldn't have been more than two seconds after I sat down that Jasper opened my door and came in.

"Knock much?" I asked, referring to him barging in.

He was looking at me strangely, completely ignoring my previous comment as he sat in the chair across from me.

I was shuffling through the papers and envelopes on my desk and when I looked up he was still wearing the same confused/suspicious expression.

"What?" I asked, my eyebrows rose in annoyance as I put down the papers I was holding.

"You seem…happy today." He said.

"So?" I said, still annoyed that he was acting strangely.

"So…is there something you haven't told me?" He asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Edward, for god's sake you were whistling when you walking in here. Whistling!" He said, shaking his head a little. I half expected him to throw his hands up in the air for emphasis. "And you expect me to believe that nothing has changed?"

I glanced up at him then returned to flipping through my mail pointlessly. "Yeah, I do." I said briskly.

He just shook his head sadly, not believing me for a second.

A few more moments passed by in silence as I rifled through a few folders, my mind elsewhere. Before I could stop it my mind was replaying my dream in my mind and a small smile pulled at my lips.

"See. That. Right there." Jasper said, standing up and pointing a finger at my face. I quickly dropped the smile and looked up at him.

"Right where?" I asked, showing him a look of innocence.

His eyes narrowed as he began walking toward the door. "You know what, I'm going to go talk to Emmett. Maybe he knows something about what's going on."

I chuckled as he closed the door behind him and looked down at all the paperwork on my desk.

I sighed and looked at the clock before allowing my gaze to turn to the cell phone on my desk. I spent a good five minutes hoping it would ring so that I could have a good excuse to go get Scarlet.

But instead, I was forced to continue filling out paperwork and wait until someone in the city decided to break the law.

* * *

**A/N: I swear, sometimes I wish I could lock myself in a Starbucks with my laptop. That way I could write without interruptions and update as quickly as you guys are demanding it. But sadly, that's not an option and I can only write so quickly. But, reviews really do help, they make me smile and give me inspiration to keep writing. It literally takes two seconds. Here, I'll make it easy, just copy and paste one of these into the review :) or :(  
**

**Now there are no excuses for not reviewing. :P **


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT **

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**BPOV**

"Remind me again why I agreed to do this?" I said under my breath as I leaned against the marble counter.

I heard crackling in my ear from the earpiece followed by Edward's voice, "Because we needed eyes in the restaurant and they don't have any male waiters."

"Well that's sexist. And I guess there aren't any other females working for the FBI who could do this." I said, grumbling slightly.

I could hear the smile behind his voice when he answered, "Nope. Just you."

"Are you sure this isn't just some ploy to be in my company?" I asked, allowing a small smile to grace my lips.

"I'm not technically in your company. There's a good hundred feet between us." He said, I could hear the smile in his voice.

"True." I said. He was sitting in an unmarked van across the street with two other agents as backup, listening to the many bugs they had strategically placed inside the restaurant.

I quickly snapped to attention whenever someone would pass, pretending to organize a stack of menus.

"Alright, remind me again what it is I'm looking for." I said, my eyes looking up from the menus covertly.

"Well, according to our source, the guy we're after frequents this restaurant every Tuesday afternoon around one. So your job is to keep an eye out for anything that doesn't feel right, someone who looks suspicious, et cetera." He said.

"How do you know the source is good?" I asked, smiling at a customer who was starting to stare. I turned my back to them and began arranging glasses in no particular order.

"Just a hunch. We don't have much more to go off of."He said.

I nodded to myself and turned around once again, resuming my previous stance of leaning against the counter.

My gaze swept across the restaurant once, twice, nothing was jumping out at me.

I sighed, _'this is going to be a long afternoon.'_

Ten minutes later I was still trying to make myself look inconspicuous while keeping an eye on the restaurant.

"Excuse me." I heard from my right, but ignored it.

"Excuse me." Came the voice again.

I heard static in my ear before Edward's voice, _"_I think she's talking to you."

It took me a second before I realized he was talking about the woman at the table and I shook my head to clear it.

I looked over to my right to see a woman in her early forties dressed in a clean cut blouse with two other women who held the same air about them. I didn't like them already.

"Oh no, being stuck in here as a lookout is one thing, but there is no way in hell I'm actually going to work as a waitress." I said under my breath.

"Come on, we need you to keep your cover." He said.

I was still trying to ignore the woman when I saw her raise her hand out of the corner of my eye, followed by a 'snap' sound.

"Oh no, she did not just snap her fingers at me." I hissed under my breath.

"You better get over there or she's going to start causing a scene, and we can't have you drawing attention to yourself." He said.

"Fine. But if she snaps her fingers at me again I'm going to break them." I said, walking around the counter and over to their table, slapping a smile on my face.

"Can I help you?" I asked, my tone sickly sweet.

"Finally, we've been sitting here for ten minutes." She grumbled.

I swallowed hard, biting my tongue for a moment before talking, "Sorry about that, we're a little short handed this afternoon."

"Well that's no excuse. We come here often and we deserve better service." She said.

"Well, I'm here now, what can I get you?" I said, gritting my teeth.

Her eyes narrowed, "I don't appreciate that tone."

My smile was tight when I responded in a nicer tone, "My apologies, is there anything I can get you to make your lunch more enjoyable?"

I heard the front door of the restaurant open and shut.

"Are you _mocking_ me?"

I looked up from the pad of paper in my hand and glanced at the man entering the restaurant.

"What?" I asked the woman, having not heard what she said, though I honestly didn't care. I only glanced at her for a second before my gaze returned to the man. He was now sitting at one of the tables near the back. Something felt off about him.

"This is ridiculous. Not only are you mocking me, but you are completely ignoring me." She said, I resisted sighing in annoyance.

"Could you excuse me for a second?" I said, not waiting for her response before turning away.

"Edward, I think our guy is here." I said under my breath, glancing over my shoulder at him.

"Alright, stay where you are. Don't do anything. Do you hear me? Stay put. We're coming in." He said.

I honestly had every intention of listening to him, but then the situation changed.

Maybe it was the fact that I wasn't being as discreet as I should have been in my observing. Or maybe it was the fact that just about anybody could tell just by looking at me that I hadn't worked a day as a waitress in my life. Whatever it was, the man I was supposed to be watching started standing up slowly, his body tense.

"Wait, hold on Edward. Something's happening." I said under my breath.

My gaze was locked with the guy. Seconds passed that felt like eternities.

"Don't do anything Scarlet. Just let us handle it."

I blinked.

He ran.

I chased.

Shoving people out of the way he ran through the swinging door of the kitchen, the sounds of dishes shattering and outcries following him.

I pursued him through the door, seeing him shoving cooks and various waiters in his attempt to escape.

I avoided open-flames and sharp cooking instruments in my pursuit, hoisting myself over a burnished steel countertop, a bowl of what appeared to be Bolognese crashing to the floor below me.

"Out of the way!" I shouted, hoping to gain some speed and cut the distance between myself and my target.

My heart was pounding loudly in my ears, completely muffling the orders that were being barked at me through the earpiece, telling me to cease was I was doing immediately.

"Stop! FBI!" I yelled. Okay, so I wasn't technically FBI, but at this point I was going to yell anything to get him to stop running. I gotta say, it's a little frustrating from the other side of the law.

Light poured into the kitchen as he shouldered his way through the emergency exit at the far end.

I grumbled and continued chasing after him.

I pushed through the door, hearing it slam against the outside wall.

I let out a gasp and bent over backwards as something came flying towards my head like a scene cut straight from The Matrix.

After regaining my balance and attempting to take in my surroundings, I noticed two things: one, that he no longer had any intention of running; and two, the thing he was trying to kill me with was a piece of broken pipe that he had probably found next to the trash bin.

I jumped back, avoiding another wild swing, fighting the instinct to put my hands up. They would be cut to pieces the minute I did so.

I kept light on my feet; jumping back like a kickboxer the second I saw him tense up for another swing, hearing the 'swish' radiate around me as the metal pipe cut through the air.

"You really don't want to do this." I said, but my warning was unheeded as another blur of silver flew above my head as I ducked.

"Seriously, the rest of the FBI is right on my heels." I said, leaning away from another swing that missed my neck by inches.

The smart thing to do would probably be to high-tail it out of there and wait for the real FBI- the ones with guns- to arrest this guy. But I wasn't the type of person to run away from a fight.

I glanced over my shoulder quickly and I could practically see the light bulb illuminate over my head.

I ducked, weaved and jumped my way back until I was standing where I wanted to be.

This time when he swung, the pipe came in contact with the fencing to my left, stopping him mid-swing.

Without hesitation I gripped his wrist with my right hand and drove my left elbow into his face, hearing the sickening 'crack' of a broken nose.

He cried out and clutched his bleeding nose and I wrenched the pipe from his grip, a satisfied smile on my face.

He was understandably furious and I remained light on my feet, taking a step back.

He growled something incomprehensible and came at me. I spun the pipe in my hand ready to use it if I needed. My muscles were tensed up, ready to block anything he threw at me. But I never got the chance.

Out of nowhere a figure I later identified as Edward side-tackled the bleeding man in front of me and shoved him face first against the brick wall of the alley. Then, while he still had him pinned down, he snapped the handcuffs on.

I smiled and spun the pipe in my hand once more before tossing it beside me, "Took you long enough. You know, you should really add some cardio to your workout Edward." I said, still smiling.

Edward roughly handed off the handcuffed criminal to the fellow agents who had just joined us moments before.

My smile dropped when Edward turned around and I caught the look on his face.

"What the hell was that!" He yelled.

"What?"

"I thought I told you to stay in the restaurant!"

"What's the big deal, we got him didn't we?" I yelled, angry that he was contesting me in that way.

"It's not your job to chase after him!"

"That's bullshit!

"You never listen do you? I told you to stay put and what do you do? You run after him!"

"Now wait a second." I said, swallowing hard, my anger beginning to boil.

"You could have-"

"I could have what!"

"You could-"

"What Edward! What is it that I could have done, because honestly I can't think of a single other thing I could have done that would have stopped him from getting away!"

"You could have gotten yourself killed!" He yelled. I noticed his hands were now gripping my shoulders and his proximity was alarming. He soon dropped them and turned around abruptly, striding out of the alley and leaving me by my stunned self.

'_Wait. What?'_

That was definitely not what I had been expecting him to say. It took me a moment or two before my mind was able to function properly and I followed behind the group of federal agents who were leading the criminal back to the car.

* * *

It was a few hours later that we were back at headquarters, separately grumbling about one another.

While he was in his office on the thirty-sixth floor, I was leaning against the railing out near the top of the open stairway on the second floor, looking below to the people on the lower level.

My anger was calmed on the outside, but my mind was a still a tumult of fury and confusion.

I was knocked from my reverie when I heard my name being called out. I turned to see Jasper holding the elevator door with a box tucked under his arm.

My brow drew together in confusion; it was rare when he spoke to me. I could probably count the number of conversations we've had on one hand. Nevertheless I stood upright and strode over to the elevator.

"Come on. I've got to drop these off and I could use the company." He said, gesturing into the elevator with his head.

I glanced over both shoulders, checking to see if it was in fact me that he was talking to.

"I can't hold the elevator forever." He said.

After a moment I shrugged and stepped over the elevators threshold, standing in the empty space beside him.

He pressed the button for the doors to close then his finger pressed a button that made my pupils dilate momentarily.

The basement.

I cleared my throat, upholding my poker face when saying, "We're going to the basement?"

"Yeah, I need to store these." He said, adjusting the box of files that was tucked under his arm.

I swallowed hard and nodded my head, my heartbeat increasing a fraction as I watched the numbers light up above the elevator door one by one.

A million things began running through my mind. Plans were formulating themselves with each passing second.

It was thudding in my ears by the time the 'ding' resonated around us and the doors crept open.

I let out the breath I was holding the moment we stepped out of the elevator, trying to control my erratic heartbeat.

'_Remain calm. Just see what you're up against here. If it's worth it, take the shot. If not, you'll at least know what you'll need to get by in the future.'_

My eyes swept from side to side, taking in everything before me.

Immediately I spotted three security cameras capturing every angle of the small concrete room. There were florescent lights above that illuminated the steel door at the far end.

Steps echoed in the hollow room as we approached the far end. I glanced over my shoulder once at the security camera that was pointed towards us before turning my attention to Jasper.

His movements were smooth-I got the idea that he had done this many times before and now the actions were committed to memory.

First he slid his keycard out and swiped it in the card-reader then he followed that up by punching in a code the keypad on the wall, too fast for me to figure out which numbers he was pressing.

I knew what came next even before it happened. He took a step closer to a silver plaque shaped object on the wall. The retinal scanner.

He stood absolutely still as the machine did its magic. After a few seconds it beeped, the light switched to green and I heard the sound of the magnetic lock on the door switching off.

I heard the sound of air decompressing when he opened the door and swung it open. It was absolutely silent until we walked inside and I could hear Jasper's footsteps, mine were automatically silent.

My breath escaped me once again and my eyes widened as row upon row of ten-foot high shelves were lit up by the lights overhead.

I swallowed hard.

It was worse than I had anticipated.

Somewhere within one of these hundreds of boxes, written in one of the thousands of files was the thing I wanted most.

I took a deep breath that was slightly shaky, my eyes trailing back and forth over the rows.

"It's pretty impressive."

I was immediately reminded of the fact that I was not alone.

After shaking my head to clear it, I turned to Jasper who was looking over the boxes of files and evidence.

"Almost all the files and boxes of collected evidence are stored down here for safe-keeping." He continued

I nodded in response and followed behind him as he continued to walk down one of the many aisles.

"Here we go." He said, finding the empty shelf and hoisting the box on top.

He pulled a clipboard out and started writing down the case number that was labeled on the box along with some other commonplace data.

I cleared my throat before speaking up, "How do you keep track of all these boxes?"

"Well, each case has an ID number, everything pertaining to that case gets labeled with it. We have a database that keeps track of where each box is." He said, gesturing to the clipboard.

"So if you were down here and didn't have the number…?" I asked.

He smiled, "Then you would be sorting through a lot of boxes."

I turned away so that he wouldn't notice the hopeless expression on my face.

I couldn't believe that I could literally be standing mere feet away from the one thing that I wanted most, but I couldn't have it. Not yet.

'_Just relax Scarlet, nothing good ever comes out of trying to rush into something you're not prepared for.'_

In an attempt to distract myself I began walking down the aisle, looking over random boxes that held years of cases.

"So I heard about what happened today." Jasper said.

I rose an eyebrow as I continued walking slowly, I could still see him through the gaps between the boxes.

"Great." I said sarcastically.

He chuckled.

"I take it you two are always at each other's throats?" He asked.

"It's definitely not uncommon." Was my response, I was still trying to get my mind off of my disappointment.

He chuckled again at that, as if he expected as much.

It was quiet between us for a few minutes. Him writing down information, while I continued to peruse the area.

"He really likes you, you know."

I froze.

I turned to him, my mind completely forgetting about everything else.

"What?"

He finished writing with the ballpoint pen, and then turned to me.

"Edward. He really likes you." He repeated nonchalantly, like it was the most obvious news in the world.

I just looked at him until he elaborated.

"I see the way he looks at you. That outburst today wasn't because you didn't follow orders; it was because he was scared."

"Of what?" I asked with a snort, thinking that he must have been joking.

He clicked the pen closed and put it in his pocket. Then he laughed lightly to himself before looking up at me with a smile.

"Losing you."

For the second time that day I was caught off guard.

He began walking away, "Come on." He waved for me to follow after him.

With one last glance at the endless files behind me I strode to catch up with him. Soon we were standing in the elevator once again, silence between us.

The elevator dinged once more and we both watched the doors open slowly.

"Just, don't hurt him. Okay?" He said, glancing at me once before stepping off the elevator on the floor he needed.

"How could I hurt him?" I asked, still confused.

He just smiled, as if there was something I really didn't understand but would find out soon enough.

He was still smiling when the doors closed.

* * *

It was many hours later that I was leaning against his door, my foot tucked back, pressing against it to keep my balance. I had managed to catch a ride home with a different agent who had been heading my direction, not quite ready to face Edward yet. But now I was.

I let out a breath in a huff, blowing stray hairs out of my face momentarily before they just fell back in place.

I looked up when I heard footsteps coming up the stairs which slowed when they approached me.

Edward looked at me in silence for a few seconds, his keys hanging in a loose grip in his hand.

I gave him a short smile, trying to gauge his reaction.

"I guess I should be grateful that you didn't just break in. But I doubt you would have listened to me if I had told you not to." He said, breaking the silence.

'_Annnd there it is.'_

I bit my tongue before the retort that threatened to escape was unleashed.

"I don't suppose you could move so that I could get into my apartment." He said, making a point of jangling the keys in his hand.

I pushed myself off the door and stepped aside, watching as he stepped forward and inserted the correct key into the lock.

I kept close examination of his face.

'_Maybe Jasper was just pulling my leg.'_

His brow was constricted in muffled anger and his jaw was set. Though it may just have been because he was having a hard time turning the key in the lock.

As soon as he got it going though he turned the knob and stepped through. I quickly slipped in behind him before he could lock me out.

"So, is there a reason you're following me?" He asked, slight hint of bitterness in his tone.

'_Yeah, there's no way. Jasper must have been seeing something completely different, because all I'm seeing here is anger.'_

"Well?" He prompted, looking at me as I continued to stand near the door.

'_I mean, come on. He would throw me back in jail in an instant if it was up to him.'_

The look he was giving me reminded me of the fact that he was waiting for some sort of response on my part.

I cleared my throat, "I thought we could talk about what happened today, because obviously you think I did something wrong."

That was partially true; I wanted us to get past this rough patch that had been brought up earlier today. The other reason I was here was to try to make sense of what Jasper had said, because from what I was seeing so far, he was way off.

"You did do something wrong. You completely ignored me and did what I told you not to do." He said, his jaw set.

"What I did was catch the criminal." I said as calmly as I could.

I really didn't want this to turn into another fight. I took a deep breath to stop the irritation that was growing quickly.

"And like I told you before, that's not your job. Your job is to give us insight into the criminal mind, it's my job to chase them down and arrest them."

"What's the difference whether it's me or you that catches them if it leads to the same result?" I asked, bewildered.

"The difference is that I'm armed and trained to take these people down whereas as you just run after them without thinking." His voice was starting to grow louder, angrier.

My tone was starting to match his when I responded, "What's there to think about? The criminal runs, you chase them. If you don't, they get away. And the last time I checked, letting the criminal get away was something we were trying not to do."

I saw him swallow hard; his eyes were narrowing in anger.

"You haven't been on this side of the law long enough to know what the right thing to do is." He said, his voice on the brink of a yell.

"I don't need a stupid badge and a weapon to be able to do what I know is right." I snapped, "And if you took your head out of your ass for two seconds you would know that I'm right. I can take care of myself Edward. I've been doing it for a long time."

I turned to storm out, my hand inches from the knob.

"How would you know anything about what's right? You're a criminal and always will be. I'm sure your parents would be proud if they were alive. Knowing that the daughter they raised is a professional thief and is taking stupid risks so that she can get herself killed just like they probably were."

Everything in my mind and body halted. I felt like I had been slapped.

I turned back to him, flames in my eyes.

"Wait. I'm sorry. I didn't mean that Scarlet." He said, holding his hands up, all traces of anger gone from his eyes.

'_Screw calm.'_

"Scarlet...look I'm sorry, I really didn't mean it. Just calm down and we can-" He warned, but I was far past being calmed down.

I closed the distance between us quickly my fist already swinging towards him.

It made contact with the bone below his eye and I ignored the pain that spread through my hand.

I let the anger and hate and pain that I was feeling drive me as I continued to throw everything I had at him, holding nothing back.

He grabbed one of my wrists trying to get me to stop.

"I'm sorry okay! Just stop!" He said, I drove the elbow on my other arm into his stomach, I could hear the air being driven from his lungs as he groaned.

I freed my wrist and continued my assault.

He blocked my right fist; but when my left followed up, not only did he misguide it past his torso, but his own hand made an offensive move.

I saw it start to swing toward me, the movement mechanical and instinctual on his part.

He seemed to realize what he was doing and in the instant before he made contact he opened his fist, a last second attempt to lessen the blow.

I stumbled back a step or two as I felt the pain spread over my cheek.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean that, it was an accident." He held up his hands towards me, his palms held up, his expression genuinely sorry.

My eyes narrowed as the pain in my cheek began to throb.

"Scarlet…" He warned.

I went at him again, this time with as much fury as I could muster.

He blocked and avoided my first few throws, but I made contact with the follow ups, hitting his abdomen multiple times.

He was focused on stopping my hands so much that he didn't even notice my leg sweeping under him until it was too late.

Unfortunately, at the same instant he managed to get a good grip on one of my wrists and pulled me down with him.

I heard something crash and shatter as we hit the floor.

Before I could react he rolled and pinned me beneath him with his body weight and gripped my wrists above my head.

We were both breathing heavily as he looked straight at me while I struggled, his face inches from mine, "I'm sorry." He said firmly.

As he looked at me I could see the sincerity in his eyes…along with something else.

After a few moments I could feel the hatred flowing away more and more with each passing second. My brow relaxed and I stopped struggling to free my hands.

"I'm sorry." He repeated, this time slightly softer.

Moments passed in silence.

His grip had loosened on my wrists. I could have moved them and gotten him off me if I wanted to. But for some reason I found that I really didn't want to move.

I was still looking in his eyes, the deep green drawing me in as I attempted to make sense of what I saw in them. I could feel his breath fanning my face softly.

At this point I really wasn't sure how long we had been laying there, him on top of me. It felt like both an eternity and a few seconds.

I saw his eyes briefly glance down at my lips before returning to mine.

I watched as his face slowly came closer and closer, his eyes never leaving mine.

And then he was kissing me.

My eyes fluttered closed automatically and I was immediately lost in the feeling of his lips caressing mine.

The reaction of anger that we had both been expecting from me never came, instead something else arose that I couldn't stop.

My hands slid out of his grip and trailed down until they were wrapped around his neck, holding him to me.

It was exactly as I remembered except also entirely different from the first time.

This was not a life or death situation where it was the only option.

No, this was something completely different.

My breathing sped up along with my heart rate. I ignored the need for oxygen, even when my body demanded it and I felt myself get slightly light headed.

Edward pulled away first and I opened my eyes to find his searching mine, attempting to gauge my reaction.

I had to take in a few lungfuls of air before I could think clearly, but I don't think the disorientation was purely from lack of oxygen.

When I didn't say anything he got a worried look in his eyes, my lips twitched in the beginning of a smile. I could feel him starting to shift his weight off of me and immediately took hold of his shirt and brought him back, connecting our lips once again.

Apparently that was all the confirmation he needed because I felt him smile against my lips and mine compliantly did the same.

Feelings I couldn't identify were rushing to the surface of my mind, controlling my actions and causing me do things I ordinarily wouldn't have.

Everything that I had ignored previously and pushed aside because I didn't know how to deal with it, was now being unleashed in the space of a few moments.

All I wanted to feel and could feel at that moment was him. Something that had been there all along had taken over me and was now making me do things that I had always subconsciously desired.

There was silence between us; the only sound I could hear was my heart beating in my ears increasing to pace that could be considered a sprint.

I gripped tightly to him and rolled us so that I was straddling his waist, all the while never losing contact. Believing that the second I did so I would be lost.

It was electric, magnetic and compulsive. Both of us moving in complete synch until it was difficult to determine what exactly was happening.

Either way, I don't think either of us were strong enough to stop it even if we had wanted to.

At some point we managed to get off the floor, though I can't recollect how. But soon what we were doing wasn't enough for either of us. A sort of frenzy was beginning to ensue that soon led to buttons skittering against the hardwood floor along with a belt, shoes and other irritating pieces of clothing that were the only obstacles left between us.

I felt my back hit a wall and he continued his assault on my neck while his hand gripped the newly exposed flesh on my waist. His fingers drawing inconsistent patterns that caused a shiver to tear through me.

His pupils were dilating as if he was experiencing some sort of high, I'm sure mine were the same.

Something was gripping us, an indescribable force with so much built up tension that the second it snapped, there was no hope of going back.

I pushed him back and we stumbled into the next room, twisting and turning all the while, still no break in contact. I felt the back of my knees hit something and I fell backwards onto what felt like his bed. He wordlessly fell with me and the vertigo swept us up once more.

What remained of the barriers between us was soon shed until the only thing remaining was the plastic tracking anklet.

There was no turning back. That indescribable force continued to push and pull, we were helpless against it. We never really stood a chance.

* * *

**A/N: I have finally discovered my limit of caffeine. It turns out that three cups of espresso, a grande white mocha, two cups of jasmine tea and a large glass of ice coffee all within the space of about six hours makes me too jittery to type because I'm jumping at practically every single sound. So perhaps locking myself in a Starbucks would not be the best thing. Anyways, I got some really creative smiley faces as reviews last time, a lot of you seem to like mustaches. So, same deal as last time, it takes two seconds, just copy and paste :) or :( **


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT **

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* * *

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**BPOV**

There were a few things I noticed when my mind finally decided to return to the living.

One: The bed I was currently lying in was definitely not my own.

It was far too comfortable.

Two: Someone had their arm wrapped around my waist.

It was responsible for a majority of said comfort.

Three: That arm that was so snugly encasing me in its warmth was Edward's.

My back was pressed against his chest, his arm holding me flush against him. I waited a few moments for the morning fogginess to clear from my mind so that I could think properly.

I looked around a bit. I hadn't really been interested in the décor of the room when I had initially entered and now I had the chance to take it in. After a few moments I spotted a window. It was covered by a thin curtain but I could still tell that it was early by the absence of light pouring through.

My curiosity for exactly how early it was made me crane my neck in search of a clock. I grimaced when I spotted one, realizing that it wasn't even six in the morning.

I laid my head back down. I was surprised by my lack of desire to go back to sleep, especially when considering the lack of sleep I received last night.

And that's when my mind began heading straight into the thing that I wanted to put off thinking about until much much later…like never.

But most things I didn't want to think about, they came anyways.

'_Alright, well I might as well try to figure out what happened that eventually led to this situation.'_

By 'this situation' I was of course referring to the fact that I was currently lying in Edward's bed with nothing between us except a thin layer of sweat.

I breathed deeply and thought for a moment, _'Well I'm not hungover, so I guess I wasn't drunk last night.'_

'_Though there was definitely some intoxication.'_

I rolled my eyes at myself and covered my eyes with my palm in exasperation.

My movement caused Edward's arm to tighten around me, pulling me even closer. For a moment I thought he was awake and I froze.

But no, I could still feel his gentle breath on the back of my neck, causing the occasional shiver to course down my spine.

I smiled for a second, reveling in both the warmth of his body and coolness his breath was providing. For a moment I let myself imagine what it would be like waking up like this everyday, encased in the protection of his arms.

After a moment I snapped out of it, _'Who am I kidding? It's like he said, I'm a criminal and he's a fed. Nothing will ever change that. Last night was just…'_

Spectacular.

Amazing.

Incredible.

Everything I had previously imagined and more.

Something that should probably never happen again.

No matter how much I might want it to…

'_Oh god, what have I gotten myself into?'_ I thought in exasperation.

At that moment Edward pulled me closer with his arm until his lips were pressed to the back of my neck. I shivered. I could tell that he was still asleep by the slow intakes of air. I let out a compulsory sigh and sank back into the welcoming warmth, all previous thoughts obliterated for that small moment.

And then I realized what I was doing and the moment snapped like a soap bubble. I grasped the fact that I was going to need to put some distance between us if I wanted to think clearly.

Carefully and slowly so as not to wake him, I removed his hand from around my waist and slipped from the bed, the silk sheets slipping back onto the mattress behind me.

I spent the better part of ten minutes on a scavenger hunt for my clothes, my shins hitting the corners of practically every piece of furniture, my unfamiliarity of the area coming into play.

Clothing was scattered everywhere, seeming to have been thrown in every direction imaginable in our haste to get closer to one another. I was slightly bewildered when I eventually found some of them in places I would have never expected.

I had to watch where I placed my feet due to shards of what had originally been a lamp that were scattered on the floor, one of the many signs of the tumult that taken place the night before.

By the time I had found and pulled all my clothes on I realized that my blouse was missing three buttons and there was a small tear in it. My lips pursed for a moment but then a smile broke through as the memory of how it had become so disheveled arose.

I stumbled slightly as I tried to maintain my balance while simultaneously attempting to slip one of my heels on.

I tucked my hair behind my ears before glancing around to see if I missed anything.

My eyes stopped on Edward, sleeping soundly beneath the sheets, I watched his muscular chest rise and fall with each steady breath. I could see the beginnings of what would become dark bruises on his abdomen from our fight the night before.

His hair was disheveled and messy both from sleeping and from me running my hands through it, the bronze hairs scattered every which way.

I only stood there for a few moments before I forced my eyes away, turned around and left.

* * *

**EPOV**

It was still early when I awoke with a smile on my face, my eyes still shut, the sound of birds chirping outside my window.

I could smell freesia with a small hint of vanilla, a scent that would always be engraved in my mind as Scarlet's. I breathed it in deeply.

Memories of her smooth skin sliding against mine arose, further elating my tranquil mood.

I was in utter bliss.

Until I opened my eyes.

The bed was empty.

My smile melted.

I immediately sat up and looked in every direction. I'll admit it; I started to panic a little.

"Scarlet?" I called out, hoping that she was just in the bathroom or in the kitchen.

I heard no response.

'_Crap, this cannot be happening. What if she thinks this was just a one-time thing? Was that all she wanted? Was that all I wanted?'_

It didn't take me long to answer that question.

No, I didn't want to go back to what we had before, which was nothing. I didn't think I could stand it.

I had to find her. Talk to her. Something.

I had to go now.

I quickly peeled the sheets from my body and scrambled from my bed.

Five minutes later I was still picking up clothes, _'Where the hell are my pants!'_

I cursed as I stepped on a piece of glass from my broken lamp, another thing I mentally added to my shopping list along with a new shirt.

After hopping around and pulling on my jeans I darted back into my room to slip on a clean shirt.

I barely had both arms through the sleeves before I grabbed my keys, my cell phone and was out the door.

I took the stairs down three at a time, and I was breathing heavily by the time I made it to her door a few floors below mine. I took a few lungfuls of air to calm myself before I knocked on her door.

"Scarlet?"

Nothing.

I tried again, this time a little louder, "Scarlet?"

Was she ignoring me? Did she think it was a mistake?

I ran a hand through my hair in exasperation, still breathing a little heavily from my short run.

I knocked again loudly.

The door to the next apartment over opened and a man poked him head out.

"Would you pipe down! Some of us are still trying to get some sleep!" He yelled, disappearing inside once more before slamming the door behind him.

That just proved how out of it I was at the moment, I wasn't even sure what time it was.

I flipped open my phone and my eyes widened when I got my answer.

I looked back at her door, _'Maybe she's not here.'_

That was a more pleasing idea than one where she was just ignoring me.

I spent a few moment thinking of places where she might have gone, and then I had it.

I swung open the door for the stairwell, this time taking them _up_ three at a time.

When I arrived at my destination I took a deep breath, then pushed the door open with a small 'creak'.

Air rushed out of me in relief when I spotted her leaning against the railing on the far side of the roof, staring out at the city stretched out in front of her.

She was wearing the same blouse from last night which confirmed my theory that she had never gone back to her apartment. I closed the door softly and began walking toward her.

The sun was just beginning to rise; the small sun beams making her hair seem almost golden in color as the wind swept it back softly.

She looked beautiful.

With each step I took I was finding it harder and harder to decide what I was going to say to her.

When I was about five feet away her head turned to look at me.

I slowed my walk until I was only a couple feet away.

"Hey." I breathed, a wary smile on my face but still relieved to have finally found her.

After a moment she smiled back, but there was something different about her smile that instantly made me worried.

I swallowed and cleared my throat before turning to the miraculous sunrise before me and leaning on the railing beside her, taking it all in. The sun was reflecting off all the windows of the skyscrapers giving the horizon a kaleidoscope look.

It was still very early; the rest of the city was just beginning to rise. Most going to work or other previously scheduled occasions. I began to wonder how many out there were waking up in a similar situation as I was now.

My eyes looked beyond the buildings and I could see the beginning of what would later be a storm gathering in the distance.

"I think it might rain later." I said, effectively breaking the silence, my eyes darting over to her briefly.

If she heard me, she didn't acknowledge it and continued to stare at the sight before her.

I waited a few moments before I broke the silence once more by clearing my throat and saying, "How long have you been up here?"

But what I really wanted to ask was, 'Did you leave my bed this morning or last night?'

"Not long." Was her response, she still wouldn't look at me.

I drummed my fingers absentmindedly as I thought of what to say.

"So last night was…" I started, not sure how to continue.

She still wasn't looking at me when she answered, "It probably shouldn't happen again."

"Yeah-wait. What?" I was thoroughly confused and caught off guard.

"I mean, it's like you said, I'm a criminal, you're a federal agent. It's not supposed to work like that. I think it would probably be better if we just…forgot about it."

My brow constricted.

"Why?" I asked quietly, desperately wanting to know what she was thinking.

"I think it would just be easier that way. Besides, we were both emotional and weren't thinking clearly."

I was slightly crushed when I answered, "Is that what you think happened?" I stared at her until she looked at me.

Her eyes searched mine for a few moments. It was the first time she had looked at me since I came up here where I could really try to see what she was thinking. I was surprised when I saw a flash of fear in her eyes, but it was gone as quick as it came. Her lips parted, but whatever she was going to say was cut off by the ringing of my cell phone.

I continued to stare at her, desperately wanting to hear what she was going to say.

"You should answer that." She said without looking away.

"They'll leave a message."

"It could be important."

After another moment of looking at her, I reluctantly answered it.

"Agent Cullen." I said as I put the phone to my ear.

"Lance McAllen has escaped."

I continued to look at her as she watched me talk.

"Okay." I responded.

There was a pause, "Did you even hear me? Lance McAllen, **The** Lance McAllen has escaped from prison. We need you down here ASAP, you and your consultant are being put in charge of the manhunt since you were the one that caught him originally."

The rising sun hit her eyes, illuminating golden flecks that enraptured me.

"Alright, we'll be there soon." I said distractedly, hardly listening as I snapped the phone shut.

"Back to work?" She asked, a small hint of disappointment in her eyes.

I nodded reluctantly; I really didn't want to leave just yet.

She gave me a small smile, all previous emotions quickly swept away and hidden; leaving only the one she wanted me to see.

"Well then I guess we better get going." She said, before strolling past me.

* * *

**BPOV**

It was a while later that we were in the car, both of us in clothing that was neither torn nor missing buttons.

I glanced over at Edward occasionally, each time I did so I saw the same thing written all over his face. Disappointment.

I bit my lip-a nervous habit.

I felt bad for lying to him on the roof, but the truth was terrifying to me. I had realized during my time spent alone on the roof that what had happened between us was definitely more than just pent up emotions. I knew that I had felt something from the beginning, some spark that most people don't get the chance to experience in their lifetime. But the more I felt that spark, felt its electric shockwaves radiate through my fingertips whenever his presence was nearest, the more I denied its existence.

I saw the look in his eyes this morning, the barely concealed crushed expression that appeared when I told him what I wanted to believe, not necessarily what I did believe. Where he saw an opportunity I saw entrapment. I had already trusted my heart with someone before, and after that experience I vowed to never allow that to happen to me again.

Part of me thought I was a fool for wanting to forget about something so incredible, that this time it would be different.

Another part, the part that had been the main part for a majority of my criminal career told me that it wouldn't end well and it would just be better for everyone if we forgot it ever happened.

'_Yeah right.'_ I thought to myself, resisting the urge to laugh without humor.

Last night was a lot of things, and memorable was definitely one of them.

I let my mind drift back.

It was different than it had been with Jacob.

Jacob and I had been equals, practically two halves of the same whole. Same stubbornness and determination, same unwillingness to relent to anyone-especially each other. We were both criminals, we thought the same way, moved the same way. It had been easy, and that was comforting.

But Edward…

Edward was different. He was kind, compassionate, patient…

In other words, he was my complete opposite. And for some reason that was intriguing to me. God only knows why. If someone had told me a few years ago that I would be falling for a fed, the fed who caught me no less, I would think they were insane.

I glanced over at Edward again.

He was a good guy, on the right side of the law. And I was…not.

It couldn't work between us, no matter how much he wanted it to.

He deserved to find someone who didn't have a mug shot or a small horde of stolen antiquities and artworks.

So for his sake and mine I would try to forget how it felt when he kissed me, or ran his hands through my hair…

'_Scarlet! This is not helping!'_

I needed something else to distract me.

"So, what are we being called in about?" I asked, my voice casual.

He took a moment as if trying to remember then glanced over at me and said, "Apparently Lance McAllen has escaped and they need my help trying to bring him in."

The name was not unknown to me; Lance McAllen was almost as good as I was. Almost. He had gotten caught a few years back. I heard somewhere along the grapevine that almost all of his crew got pinched and thrown in jail with him.

Precisely why I work alone. If you don't have to worry about trusting someone, you don't have to worry about them making a mistake that can cost you.

"So why do they need your help getting him back?" I asked.

He glanced at me once more; I think he was slightly relieved that we were able to hold a normal conversation that wasn't completely awkward. "Well I think it's mainly you they want to talk to, ask how you would have done it, et cetera. But, I'm also the one that originally caught him. They're hoping that will give us some sort of edge."

I smiled a little, "So you mean to say that there were other criminals you were obsessed with before me? I gotta say, I'm a little hurt."

"Well, they wouldn't give me your case right away. I had to work for it. Not everyone is up for the job of chasing after the Scarlet Thief."

It was after he said that that I realized how long it had been since anyone had actually called me that, nowadays it was just 'Scarlet'. Sad to say I kind of got used to the name without the criminal label attached to it.

There were a few moments of silence between us; it must have made Edward slightly uncomfortable because he started talking again.

"So…this Lance McAllen, do you know him?"

I smiled a little, "Believe it or not Edward, I don't know every single high end criminal personally."

That got a small smile out of him and I felt like I had accomplished something I hadn't even known I had been trying to achieve.

"I have heard of him however. Word does get around and I know some of his work." I continued.

"Well good, that should definitely come in handy." He said, effectively ending the conversation.

* * *

It took us about an hour in the early morning traffic to get to the jail where the rest of the team was gathered.

Just the thought of stepping inside made me uneasy. Nevertheless, I followed a few steps behind Edward as we made our way past all of the security stations.

He flashed his badge when it was necessary and soon we were standing outside and empty cell surrounded by many men who all seemed to be scratching their heads.

"So, any leads?" Edward asked the men in general as we approached them.

A few shook their heads and continued to stare at the empty cell as if the answer would appear if they stood there long enough.

The largest man of the group stepped forward and began talking, I quickly gathered that this man was the warden by the way he started shifting the blame to anyone but himself.

"He was taken to the hospital wing earlier this morning when he appeared to be having a seizure. Security isn't as tight there. We believe that that is where he managed to escape from." His eyes glanced quickly over to another man before returning to Edward. Just from that look I gathered that the man he looked at was the man who was receiving a majority of the blame.

"Alright, why don't we start there?" Edward said, looking to anyone who would point him in the direction of the hospital wing.

Our party soon shuffled along until we entered a large room that reeked of bleach and was decorated stark white.

It didn't take Edward and me long to figure out what had happened after talking to the prison's doctor.

He had faked the seizure, and then managed to disguise that he didn't take the pills that were given to him that would have knocked him out. So when everyone expected him to be knocked out cold, he managed to somehow get free, get his hands on a guard's uniform and ID and then found a hole in the security.

We left figuring out the rest of his escape to the warden. Our objective now was to find him and bring him back.

Edward turned to me, completely focusing on the task at hand as we exited the jail.

"Alright, so they've got his picture circulating the news and practically every cop in the city is on the lookout for him. It's their job to basically sweep through the city and dig through it until they find him. Our job is to help them narrow their search. So where would you go if you broke out of jail?" He asked, speaking loudly to me over the crowd of officers.

I thought for a few moments, going through how I would do it, where I would go, what I would need, et cetera.

"Well, if he's found a car, then that opens up a lot of possibilities." I said.

"Okay, let's assume he has." He said as he opened the door to the passenger side of his car for me, the gesture did not go unnoticed by me.

I waited until he took his seat behind the wheel before I continued talking.

"Alright, we'll need a list of people he knew. People that would help him out no matter what crap he got himself into." I said.

"Like this one." He said, holding up a piece of paper he had fished from his pocket.

I grabbed it from him and threw him a look, "What can I say, great minds think alike." He said with a grin before pressing down on the gas.

* * *

"This is ridiculous." I said, closing my door for what felt like the millionth time before reaching back for my seatbelt.

We had been to seven different places already, asking around to make sure that no one had seen anything.

Edward sighed as he put the car in gear, I could sense the same frustration I was feeling. "Alright, what's the next one on the list?" he asked. I relayed the address to him and he started driving.

"We've been at this all day and have come up with nothing. You know, I think they just wanted us on the case so that they wouldn't have to do the boring work themselves." I said.

He laughed a little, "You're probably right."

A few minutes later the silence between us was cut by the ringing of a cell phone.

"Cullen." He said into the phone once he picked it up.

I could just make out what the person on the other end of the line was saying, "We have a witness that says they've spotted your guy in a building on Federal Street."

"Got it, thanks. We'll head over there now." He replied, snapping the phone shut after she gave him the exact address.

He glanced over at me, "Is an address on Federal Street on the list?"

I scanned the list and nodded, "Yeah, but it's near the bottom."

"Well, it just moved to the top." He said as I flipped on the siren and swerved around the traffic.

Edward and I approached the crowd of police officers that were gathered around the base of the building.

"What've you got?" He asked them.

The one he asked got a look of recognition when he spotted us and said, "We got a tip from one of the people in the building that they spotted someone matching our guy's exact description heading up the stairs. We've got all exits blocked off and we're now just waiting for SWAT to arrive."

"You called SWAT?" Edward asked, slight annoyance in his tone.

"Protocol. Besides, we don't know if he's armed or not up there." The cop said.

"He's not dangerous. Has anyone tried to go up there and talk to him?" Edward asked.

"Listen Cullen, you may know him and believe he isn't dangerous, but that doesn't mean I know that."

Edward sighed and looked up at the building, shading his eyes from the sun.

"Do we know which floor our potential guy is on? Maybe I can try to get contact over a phone, that way we can know if we're dealing with the right person or if we're all just wasting our time."

The cop checked with one of the guys around him before responding, "Witness spotted him near the top of the stairwell. She lives on the floor beneath the penthouse, so we assume that's where he is. According to the landlord, he hasn't seen the guy that lives there in weeks, but the power's still hooked up for the time being."

Edward nodded and returned his gaze to the cop, "Great, you wanna work on getting that set up. The sooner I figure out what we're dealing with, the better."

The cop nodded reluctantly, seeming not to like taking orders from someone younger than him.

It was fifteen minutes later that we finally got someone who seemed to know what they were doing and had a phone set up in the back of one of the many FBI vans that had recently arrived.

There were about seven federal agents crammed into the back of the van, hovering over the speaker phone that was soon going to be put to use.

"Whenever you're ready Agent Cullen." The tech guy said, nodding at him.

"Alright, put me through." Edward said.

It was silent in the back of the vehicle, each of us listening to the phone ring.

After four rings there was a 'click', "This wouldn't happen to be the FBI, would it?"

Edward smiled, "Hello Lance, it's been a while."

"Agent Cullen, you sound just as young as you did when we last spoke." He said, chuckling a little.

I smirked when I saw Edward grimace a little; I got the feeling that his age was something people poked at often.

"Listen Lance, our SWAT teams are all in place and ready to come in and get you." He bluffed smoothly, I was slightly impressed as I continued listening to him, "I'm sure it would just be better for everyone if you just came down yourself and-"

"Agent Cullen, is it true that you have a new partner since the last time we spoke?" Lance said, cutting him off.

Every eye in the van looked at me; I continued to stare at the microphone in bewilderment.

There were a few moments as Edward thought of how to respond, "Why don't you come down here and you can meet her." He glanced at me.

There was some chuckling on the other end of the line.

"Ah, but you see, if I do that I'll never actually get to meet her, will I? They'll whisk me away before I get the chance."

I saw Edward swallow hard, he wasn't liking where this was going.

"The only way I'm coming down, is if she comes up here first." Then there was a 'click' followed by a dial tone.

Once again, all eyes were upon me.

Edward looked over at me. He must have read my mind because the first thing he said was, "Absolutely not Scarlet; don't even think about it. We're waiting for SWAT to get here, and they'll go in and bring him down."

"You said he wasn't dangerous."

"He's not, but I'm still not letting you go up there." He said. Everyone in the van was watching our conversation like a tennis match.

I looked at him, "Listen to me Edward, earlier you asked what I would do if I was in his situation. Well, if I were him, I would be looking for another exit. If we give him time, he'll find one- one that we don't have covered. I don't know what he wants, but I do know that we need someone up there while we wait for SWAT to arrive."

He seemed torn, he knew I was right, he probably hated that I was right.

"Trust me." I said, holding his gaze.

It was silent for a few moments, the entire car waiting for Edward to decide what to do.

Then he nodded and looked away. Everybody started moving again, talking through radios, hopping out of the van to get things set up.

"I'll be in and out quickly. I promise." I said, truly meaning it. I waited for him to say something, when he didn't I hopped out of the van and started walking toward the entrance of the building.

Theories were flying across my mind the entire journey as I wondered why he wanted to talk to me specifically.

The other feds had told me the layout for the building and my route was fairly simple: just go up the stairs until you reach the top. Easy enough to follow. But I was still cautious as I took each step.

I reached the top of the stairs and took a deep breath before I placed my hand on the doorknob, not surprised when it was unlocked.

I stepped into the room slowly, shutting the door behind me softly.

I was halfway into large entry room when I first heard him talk.

"Well I'll be damned. The Scarlet Thief, in the flesh." I turned to find him, a man who I assumed was Lance, studying me, taking me in head to toe. "For some reason I imagined you would be taller, older." I hadn't even heard him approach, a trademark of a professional thief.

I narrowed my eyes, "Sorry to disappoint you." I said, crossing my arms indignantly.

"Hardly." He said, there was a hint of suppressed anticipation in his tone, "It is quite an honor to be in your presence. You're quite a hero amongst us thieves, a celebrity of sorts."

I was curious as to who it was he was having these conversations with that involved me, but then reminded myself to stay on task.

"Is this the only reason you asked me up here?" I asked him.

He studied me for a few moments, seeming to still be taking it all in. Like someone seeing a famous piece of artwork for the first time.

"I must say, I am still quite curious as to how you pulled off the Monet heist a few years back, it was one of the water lily paintings I believe."

I was slightly impressed; few people knew that I was the one who did that.

Nevertheless, I wasn't about to admit to it, "I'm sorry, but I'm not sure to what you are referring."

He seemed to expect this answer and smiled, as if what I had said was confession enough. Is this all he really wanted to talk about. Did he really just want to meet me?

"I doubt I could have pulled that job off with my entire crew, let alone by myself. If I were you I would be gloating and praising my abilities. But I guess you are more modest than I am." He was still smiling in appreciation, his eyes crinkling in the corners. He was older than I was but he still had a face that was trustworthy, another tool that thieves used often-myself included.

A few moments passed in silence, he was admiring the late afternoon light pouring in through the large bay window on the wall.

"There was a rumor going around that you had been caught. But I always assumed it was just that- a rumor. I always believed that if we ever did meet face to face, it would be in the dead of night in front of a Picasso or Renoir, never in my wildest imagination did I see this." There was a slight sadness in his eyes; as if he were either disappointed in me or himself, I wasn't sure which. The sudden desire to not disappoint this man alarmed me.

I decided to change the subject, "If you don't mind me asking, why did you break out of jail, only to give yourself up now?" I asked, because I truly was curious.

He swallowed and took a moment as if collecting his thoughts, "Back on the night of my last heist, one of my crew turned on the rest of us. Trust was a big thing for me at the time, I was the one who came up with plan and I was the one who was responsible for getting everyone out. They all put their trust in me and I let them down by not being careful enough, by not keeping a close enough eye on one person particularly."

I waited until he continued.

"When you sit in a cell and realize that you'll be there for the rest of your life, you tend to think about what is important to you. For me, that's answers. I wanted to know _why. Why_ one of my closest friends set the rest of us up to get caught. _Why_ after years of camaraderie and working together he could so easily turn on us." He sighed, his eyes floating around the room, "This was the last place I saw him."

The look in his eyes told me that he was seeing something entirely different than I was.

He shook his head slightly, as if to himself, "I think I am getting too old for this pastime, running is a younger person's game." He said. Even though he couldn't have been more than forty years old, his eyes showed that he had seen lifetimes.

He returned his gaze to me, "You have a good thing going for you with Agent Cullen. A second chance. Perhaps you have not grown tired of running the way I have, but eventually you will. I don't know if you need my advice or even want it…but this second chance of yours, hold onto it. I guarantee you, it won't come again. Once you start running, you'll be running forever."

He seemed satisfied with the advice he gave me and nodded to himself.

I swallowed hard. Why did it seem like this man who I had known for all of ten minutes, knew me better than I knew myself.

I wasn't sure whether I would take his advice or not. I was already running, I'd been doing it for so long I wasn't really sure how to do anything else.

He looked to the window again, "So, how bad does it look out there for me?"

"Pretty bad." I responded, referring to the police officers, federal agents and now probably SWAT teams that were waiting for him to take one step out of line.

"I suppose we should get going then, wouldn't want them to get antsy and come up here- I don't think I could handle having my pride crushed twice by being dragged out in handcuffs again. No, I'm going back to jail with as much dignity as I can." He said, standing up straight with a smile.

"I guess pride is another thing you treasure." I said with a small smile.

"You are very correct there; I doubt I will ever manage to let it go." He chuckled.

He was about to reach the door when I spoke up, "Did you get your answer, by coming here?" I asked, referring to our previous conversation about his motive for escape.

He stopped.

"In a way, yes. I did." He turned to look at me, a sad smile on his face. "I guess I just discovered that the world is just as greedy as it was when I was caught. I guess I was hoping it would have changed." His eyes trailed over the ornate penthouse, lavished in elegant fixtures. Someone had obviously spent a large amount of money on it, money that wasn't theirs.

"Sadly, I don't think it ever will." I responded, following behind him as we shut the door to the home of the criminal who had betrayed the man in front of me.

* * *

We left the room and began walking down the endless flight of stairs.

Right before we reached the exit, he turned to look at me.

"It was an honor meeting you. Hopefully I will never see you again, for that would mean that you met the same fate as me."

With one last smile he pushed open the doors and stepped through. After that there was a flurry of commotion, similar to what happened when I had been arrested.

Soon he was handcuffed and handed off, placed in a large car that would escort him back to the cell where he would be for many years to come.

Through all the commotion, I could barely make out Edward as he attempted to push his way through the crowd.

The advice that had been given to me was flying through my mind, by the time Edward reached me I was still thinking about it.

There was relief in his eyes as he realized I was still in one piece.

Before I would have found his concern unnecessary and irritating, now for some reason I found it oddly comforting.

"Are you okay?" He asked, even though he could see that I was fine.

I nodded, "Thanks."

"For what?" He asked.

"Trusting me. It probably wasn't easy." I said, watching as he smiled at me that same smile that was uniquely his.

* * *

It was much later that day that we had finally headed back to the apartment building.

Edward kept glancing at me occasionally with that damn smile. Every time I would just look away and remind myself of what I had berated into my mind that morning.

It was as we were turning the last corner from the parking garage that the storm that had been gathering that morning finally broke and water began to pour down upon us.

We made a break for our building, both of us trying to cover our heads uselessly. We were fully drenched by the time we made it under the overhand of our apartment building.

I looked at Edward; his hair was sticking to his head, dripping water down his face. I probably didn't look much better. It would have been more amusing had Edward not been looking at me with those damn smoldering eyes.

I swallowed; we hadn't said much to one another on the car ride back. Both of us lost in our own thoughts.

The look he was giving me was the same look I had seen last night. The same look that made something flutter in my stomach against my will and made my face heat up. The same look that told me I was in a potential danger zone.

"Do you really think that last night was a mistake?" He asked abruptly.

The question caught me off guard and I was slightly startled as I looked at him.

The look in his eyes told me that he was completely serious in his asking.

"Well…" I trailed off. I had no clue what to say.

"I don't think it was." He said, he had to speak up a little over the noise of the downpour around us.

If I was caught off guard before, I was far past that now.

I avoided his eyes, my mind spinning ideas as to how to get out of this situation. Postpone it so that I could have time to think up a response that didn't suck.

"Tell me this is nothing, that you don't feel anything. And I'll try to forget it ever happened. Tell me this is just a one way street and I'll stop." He said, trying to get me to look at him.

I swallowed hard.

"But if not, then tell me now. Tell me you felt the same spark that I did, tell me that it wasn't just pent up emotions that led to what happened last night. Tell me that you feel the same thing I do." He concluded, his hands were gripping my shoulders and his eyes seemed to be looking so deeply into mine that I felt exposed.

He was making me decide-right then and there. Just like that. It was probably the first real decision of my own that I had been granted since I was arrested.

I realized that it was more than just his body that he was offering-a lot more. Though neither of us were admitting to it, both of us understood it.

Millions of thoughts flew across my mind as both sides of me fought for control. Words like 'criminal', 'federal agent', and 'second chance' were coming up most prominently.

I tried to quiet all of the thoughts buzzing in my mind so that I could think clearly, pushing them all to the side so that I could just focus on what I was feeling right now.

What I felt was the electrical current that seemed to be running out of his fingertips where he was gripping my shoulders. I felt his proximity as his eyes engulfed me. I felt the fluttering feeling in the pit of my stomach that I couldn't ignore whenever he looked at me. I realized that all of these things I was feeling at that moment were my constant companion whenever he was within my presence.

It was at that moment that I realized I was gone. Long gone. Too far gone to turn back without causing permanent damage to him and myself.

I thought about what it would mean if I accepted what he was offering. Maybe it wouldn't quite be the second chance that Lance had talked about, but it was like he said, I wasn't going to get another shot at it. Something in that moment told me to remove a small portion of the armor I had carried for a majority of my life. Just enough to let a little bit of trust in.

I came out of my thoughts to see his bright green eyes staring into mine, drips of rainwater running down his forehead.

A small smile crept onto my face.

He reciprocated the smile, "Is that a yes?"

I nodded slightly.

"To which part?" He asked, seeming to double check and see if this would be my final answer.

I smirked, "To whichever part gets you to kiss me already."

His smile stretched farther as he pulled me close and captured my lips with his, drawing me back into memories from the night before.

I wasn't sure whether this was the smart move, or the right one.

But it was the one I wanted to take.

For now, maybe I _was_ tired of running.

* * *

**A/N: I switched to tea mainly this week as my source of caffeine, it replaced a few cups of my coffee. My favorite so far is jasmine for those who were wondering, or care. Anyways, I am continuing with what I've said before in terms of reviewing. If you don't want to write something, just copy and paste one of the smiley faces, it takes two seconds. This time I've even added more variety to choose from.**

**:) or :( or ****:P**** or ****;D or :{D**


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT **

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* * *

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**BPOV**

I sighed contentedly as I felt his lips trail up my spine, closing my eyes and allowing myself to doze slightly with my head on his pillow, my arms folded underneath.

I felt his lips pause, "I didn't know you had a tattoo." He murmured softly.

I smiled with my eyes still closed, "Well, I guess that's because you've been preoccupied with other things whenever we've been in this type of situation." I murmured back sleepily.

"I always thought you would have more of a tiger or a dragon." He said, a smile in his voice.

I laughed a little and craned my neck to look back at him, "You expected me to have a tattoo?"

He smirked a little, "It's crossed my mind more than once."

I smiled back before returning my head to the pillow. There were a few moments of comfortable silence between us.

"Does it mean anything?" I didn't have to ask if he was talking about the tattoo.

Still keeping my eyes closed, I answered, "It used to."

"It doesn't anymore?" He paused again as he waited for my answer.

"In a way." Was the only answer I gave him.

The tattoo he was referring to was one I got years ago. It was in the center of my back, to the left of my spine. It held more meaning for me than he could ever guess.

The tattoo was of a swan.

I let out a deep breath and turned my head to look out the window, noticing that it had stopped raining sometime earlier this morning.

The moment was shattered by Edward's cell phone ringing. He let out a groan, and I felt the bed shift as he reached for it.

"Cullen." He answered. "Alright. We'll be in soon." He finished, closing the phone with a 'snap'.

"Back to work?" I sighed, stretching my arms above my head. Even though my eyes were closed I could tell he was watching me. My theory was confirmed when I felt his arms wrap around me and his lips on my shoulder.

"I should quit." He murmured against my skin.

"But then you wouldn't see me at all." I said with a smile.

"True." He admitted reluctantly.

I twisted and gave him a lazy kiss and said, "Then we should probably get going." Before slipping out of bed, leaving a smiling Edward in my wake.

* * *

"Alright, what do we know?" Edward asked as he strolled into the small meeting room with me a few steps behind.

I closed the door behind me and took one of the empty seats next to Jasper who smiled at me politely.

I watched as Edward absentmindedly accepted the cup of coffee that was handed to him as his eyes scanned over the other paper in his hand.

One of the other agents cleared his throat, "Well, we received an anonymous tip that a small crew is looking to go after something in a safety deposit box in one of the larger banks."

"What's in the safety deposit box?" Edward asked, taking the seat at the end of the long table.

"We don't know." The agent replied.

"Which bank?" He asked, looking around for an answer.

The answer he received was mildly sheepish, "We don't know."

Edward raised his eyes from the piece of paper and looked around at the people staring at him.

"Do we know _anything_?" He asked, his eyebrows slightly raised.

There was some shuffling of papers before one of them spoke up, "Yeah, the tip told us that the crew was planning on bringing in a thief for the job, apparently the one they usually work with is currently locked up. Therefore, they had no choice but to rely on some recommendations and hire a guy named…" He searched through first two pages in front of him, "Clayton Holloman."

The look on Edwards face told me that he had heard the name before.

The other agent noticed this too and smiled as he continued relaying the news, "Well, unfortunately for Mr. Holloman, the anonymous tipper keyed us in on this and gave us another tip that he _may_ be carrying an unregistered weapon in the trunk of his camaro."

There were a few snickers around the table.

"I'm just going to go out on a limb here and assume you guys brought him in." Edward said.

They nodded.

One of the agents stood up and leaned across the table to hand Edward another piece of paper.

"We leaned on him for an hour before he cracked. Told him he was looking at fifteen years because his prints matched those found at a home invasion a month ago." The second agent chuckled.

"Amateur." I muttered, which earned a couple chuckles.

"So, what did he tell us?" Edward asked, his eyes scanning over the paper.

"Well, according to Mr. Holloman, he got a call about a week ago asking him to come in for a job. They told him to meet them in the parking garage on 31st street at noon. He does the job with them, and then his money gets wired into his account." The second agent said.

"Has he had any previous contact with this crew?" Edward asked, taking the lid off his coffee and blowing on it.

They shook their heads, "Nope, apparently he was recommended highly enough for them to want to bring him on for the single job without meeting face to face first."

"It's not unheard of." Edward said absentmindedly, "So he's a safecracker, but from the sounds of it, he's not the most brilliant guy. Were they expecting him to open the vault door too?"

"They won't need to if they're going in the daytime." I said, speaking up for the first time.

Everybody turned to look at me and I glanced up from the papers.

They didn't need to ask for me to explain, I sat up straighter and put the paper down before clearing my throat, "Banks keep the vault door open during business hours, it's more efficient. If they had to bring the manager over to open it every time they wanted to lock up a dollar, they would get backed up."

A few of them got the 'I should have known that' look on their face. Edward just smiled.

"Then what do they need the safecracker for?" Jasper asked.

Edward answered for me, "Well, the deposit boxes might have more intricate locks than usual."

"We can check that. See if there's a specific bank that has tighter security on their deposit boxes." One of the agents said, standing up and leaving the room to take care of it.

There were a few moments of silence as everyone thought about everything that had been said.

The second agent cleared his throat, "So, if we have the safecracker in custody, why are we dealing with this? They can't do the job without him."

I answered that one, "Trust me; if whatever they're after is valuable enough, they're not going to let this stop them."

"What are they likely to do?" He asked.

I leaned back in my chair and swiveled it a little, "Well, if they don't have someone who can beat the lock, they'll have to break it."

"Meaning…?" He asked.

"Meaning," Edward said, "They will change their tactics from getting out clean to forcing their way in and getting the lock open any way they can. Whether that means with a special drill…"

"Which would take time to get." I chipped in.

"Or, they might hold the manager at gunpoint." Edward finished.

There were another few moments of silence.

"And we can't exactly release Mr. Holloman to prevent that." Jasper said.

"And we don't know which bank it is, so there's no way of preventing it by warning them." I said.

Another few moments of pondering.

"Well, I guess there's only one option left." Edward said conclusively.

We all looked to him, waiting to hear the idea that hadn't occurred to anyone else.

"One of us goes in posing as Mr. Holloman until we figure out which bank it is." He said.

"Who?" Jasper asked.

"Well, I would do it, but they're expecting a guy." I said, being the only one in the room with criminal experience.

"I'll do it, and you can talk to me through an ear bud." Edward said to me.

A feeling arose suddenly that I didn't like, it took me a moment to recognize it as concern. I really didn't like the idea of Edward going in with criminals he knows nothing about.

"_You're_ going to break into a bank?" Jasper asked skeptically.

"I won't have to; I can call you guys in once I know which bank it is." Edward said.

"Why can't we just arrest these guys once you meet them?" I asked, still opposed to the idea.

"We would have nothing to hold them on, and the entire crew might not be there. We need to get all of them in case the ones left still decide to go after the safety deposit box." Edward said.

He must have seen the worry on my face even though I tried to conceal it and gave me a small smile. I tried to give him one back but was still uneasy.

Jasper and the other agent stood up, "Alright then, let's get started on making you into Clayton Holloman."

* * *

A couple hours later I was alone in the conference room when Edward strolled in wearing a clean pressed Devore suit.

I let out an appreciative whistle, "Nice suit."

He sent me the dazzling smile I had expected.

"I only get to borrow it; a suit like this would cost me a month's salary." He said, pulling at the cuffs self-consciously.

I smiled and gripped the lapels, pulling him closer.

"Maybe I can get you one." I said in a low voice, my lips ghosting over his jaw. When I met his eyes they were smoldering. He was an inch from connecting our lips when there was a knock on the door, startling both of us. We jumped apart just as the door opened and Jasper strode in.

"Alright, we're good to go. Here's the ID that we got for you, just as a precaution. I doubt they'll ask for it, but it's better to be safe." He said, handing the card over to Edward who accepted it and tucked it into a new wallet. You could tell he was slightly disgruntled about the interruption, but otherwise he seemed fine.

Jasper looked back and forth at both of us, sensing that something was off but remaining silent. He turned to look at the board that was marked up with information pertaining to Clayton Holloman.

After a moment, Edward and I joined him, trying to see if there was anything else we could be missing before we set out.

"So if they're going in during the daytime, how are they planning on going in unnoticed?" Edward asked no one in particular.

"They might have a passkey, or pretend that they're going in as a maintenance crew if they've got the right credentials." Jasper said.

"I would use the air ducts." I said, pitching in.

"Edward and I could never understand how you managed to get through those, they're tiny." Jasper said without looking at me.

"Oh, I'm _very_ flexible." I said looking closely at the board, I was aware of both their head snapping to look at me, Edward with a smile. I could only imagine what scenario was going through his head but I was sure I would find out later.

Jasper cleared his throat uncomfortably, "We should probably get going."

Edward and I shared a smile before following behind him out the door.

"Let me grab your earbud." Jasper said before walking away.

I looked at Edward, observing how his hair was slicked into submission with some expensive gel.

"I think I like your hair better when it looks like you just rolled out of bed." I said.

A smile crept onto his face, "Well, you would know what that would look like." He said in a hushed tone.

He was smiling but I could tell he was nervous, "Are you ready for this?" I asked.

"As I'll ever be." Was his response.

I looked at his face for a few seconds, trying to read what was going on in his head.

I glanced around to make sure that no one was looking before grabbing his arm and pulling him into a supply closet.

"Scarlet? What are you-" I interrupted his query by pulling his face down to mine and pressing my lips to his.

After a moment I pulled away, "For good luck." Was my explanation before I opened the door of the closet and poked my head out. Once I saw the coast was clear I dragged a very happy Edward out behind me.

Jasper strolled around the corner just then, "Here." He said, handing something to Edward, who proceeded to place the bud in his ear. He took one look at the poorly concealed smile on Edward's face before rolling his eyes and looking at me suspiciously. I just smiled back innocently.

* * *

**EPOV**

I was standing in the parking garage, feeling slightly apprehensive despite Scarlet's wish of good luck. The memory of which immediately put a smile on my face.

"Why are you smiling Edward?" Came Jasper's voice in my ear.

"No reason." I muttered, trying not to move my lips in case he wasn't the only one watching.

"Well stop it; you're supposed to be a bad-ass criminal safecracker, not a random businessman who hangs out smiling in parking garages." He said.

"Right." I said, seeing his point and dropping the smile.

I rocked back and forth on my heels and glanced at my watch, it was ten past noon.

"Edward, there's a black SUV heading your way, this might be your ride." Jasper said in my ear.

"Got it." I said under my breath as I spotted the car he was talking about coming around the corner.

I stood where I was as the car came closer and closer, eventually stopping about ten feet in front of me.

I noticed the windows were tinted as the passenger door opened and a man stepped out.

He had sunglasses on despite the overcast weather and was wearing a suit that was of similar quality to mine.

"Clayton Holloman?" He asked.

I nodded once.

Once this was covered, one of the back doors of the SUV opened and another man stepped out.

The first man snapped and pointed at me.

There was crackling in my ear followed by Jasper's voice, "Well I guess we know who the boss is."

The second man came forward and started patting down my legs, making sure I didn't have any concealed weapons. When he was sure I was clear he nodded to the first guy and got back in the car.

"So, I'd like to know who it is exactly that I'll be working with." I said.

"You can call me Luke, now get in the car." He said briskly, like I wasn't worth his time.

I did as he said and walked toward the SUV, the side door opened and I stopped to take a deep breath before climbing inside.

As soon as I shut the door again that car began moving.

I glanced around, besides the driver, Luke and the guy who frisked me, there was one other person sitting in the back seat. They were all wearing identical determined expressions. They were definitely a crew.

There was crackling in my ear again, "Alright Edward, we've got your position, we'll be following a few cars behind."

I looked around the car subtly, taking in as much as I could. From what I could tell, only two of them were carrying weapons. But they could have more that I just wasn't seeing.

After about twenty minutes the car stopped and I looked out the window, we were not at a bank. It was some sort of office building.

Something was wrong.

Luke opened his door as soon as the car stopped and came around to mine before opening it, "Get out." He ordered.

I remained vigilant as I did as he said, glancing behind me to see that no one else was getting out with me.

"Just hold tight Edward, the second you think this is going to go bad, just call us in, we've got multiple cars waiting on call." Jasper said.

I followed behind Luke as he walked toward the front door of the building.

"Don't say a word." He said without looking at me as he opened the front door and pulled two badges from his pocket, handing one to me.

Mine had a 'V' on is and said visitor in red writing, I put it around my neck.

We approached the check-point, and I watched to see what Luke would do.

Calmly he showed his badge to the security officer who nodded us through. We proceeded forward and walked into the elevator. The ride up was silent; all the while I was trying to figure out what we were doing here.

Soon enough the elevator dinged and I followed behind as he walked down a hallway and slid his badge through the card reader on a door before gesturing me through.

He locked it manually behind us and led me to the back of the room where there was a safe.

"Open it." He said.

"Excuse me?" I asked, trying not to panic.

"Open the safe. According to the person who recommended you, this should be a cakewalk." He crossed his arms and I could see the outline of a firearm beneath his jacket.

I swallowed hard and turned to look at the safe.

"Tell me what's going on in there Edward." Jasper said, a tremor of worry in his voice.

I cleared my throat and said, "I'm sorry, but if you brought me on to open a small office safe, you're wasting my time." I took on the expression of annoyance.

"Oh perfect." Said Jasper sarcastically, "Let me get Scarlet."

"Humor me." Said Luke.

There were some shuffling noises in my ear, "He's testing you Edward, tell me what kind of safe it is."

Her voice gave me some reassurance; I turned to look at the safe, "You brought me on to open a Cobalt office safe?"

"I want to make sure you're qualified before we go any further." He answered.

"Alright Edward, listen carefully, I need to know the specific model number and installation year." She said.

I swallowed and bent closer to the safe, placing my hand on it.

"What make and year is it?" I asked, praying that he knew.

"It's an S874C, installed last year." He said, thankfully not surprised that I asked.

"Alright Edward, listen. Place your ear to the left of the dial." I did as she said.

'_Is she seriously going to talk me through breaking into safe?'_

As if reading my mind, she said, "Don't worry, I couldn't tell you how to crack a safe over an earpiece even if I wanted to. Right now, you're just going to let him think you're listening for the pins."

I tried not to grimace and pretended to look like I knew what she was talking about.

"Start spinning the dial counterclockwise slowly." She said, and I did.

"Spin slowly while you listen to me. All safes come with a standard combination pre-installed that the owner is supposed to change. Most owners don't out of either laziness or stupidity. We're going to go out on a limb here and hope that the owner of the safe is one or the other." She said.

"Stop and begin spinning in the other direction." She directed, "The safe he has is not an uncommon safe. If he didn't change the combination, it should either be 18-42-21 or 12-36-28. Don't try it out for a couple minutes though, it would be suspicious if you opened the safe that quickly."

I reminded myself to ask her how she had those numbers memorized if I got the chance. If the numbers she gave me didn't work, things wouldn't end well for me.

I took a deep breath and after a few minutes of mindless dial spinning, I opened my eyes and put in the first set of numbers slowly.

I tried the handle.

Nothing.

I swallowed hard.

"Problem?" The man asked.

"Nope." I responded, acting business as usual.

I began spinning again, this time putting in the second combination.

'_Please work.'_

I cringed as I placed my hand on the handle and turned.

There was a sound of a lock disengaging and I let out my breath in a 'whoosh'.

I stood up with a smile and stepped aside.

He stepped past me and swiped a card from inside the safe before closing it and wiping it down with a cloth, removing all fingerprints.

"Alright, let's go." He said, offering no other comment on my accomplishment.

With one last look around the office, we left.

He pulled out his cell phone and hit a speed dial button, "Yeah, bring the car up front, we're coming down."

He closed it with a snap and led me out of the building. As soon as we stepped through the doors, the same black SUV came up and we climbed in.

"All set?" Asked the driver, to which the man nodded.

The car began moving to another unknown destination.

"Good job with the safe Edward, we're still tracking you to where you're going." Came Jasper's voice in my ear.

'_I just wish I knew where that was.'_ I thought to myself as I looked at the scenery passing by.

* * *

**BPOV**

Jasper turned away from the microphone to look at me.

"He'll be okay." He said.

I swallowed and hid whatever he had seen on my face, "Yeah, I know."

"You wish you were out there with him though." Jasper said, though there wasn't so much of a question in his words as a personal confirmation.

"Yeah." I responded, watching the blinking indicator on the computer as it continued to move on the map.

* * *

**EPOV**

We were driving down a fairly busy street, I saw Luke glance in the rearview mirror.

He leaned over to the driver and muttered, "Black van, five cars back. It's made the last three turns with us."

He had spotted the FBI van; I would have to warn them to hang back further.

"Is there someone following us?" I spoke up.

"Quiet." Luke shushed me.

"Got it." Jasper said, understanding my message, he would tell them to hang back further.

After a few minutes of glancing in the mirror, Luke turned to the driver and said, "Nevermind."

We drove for another twenty minutes before they stopped the car again. Luke turned around in his seat and threw something at me, I instinctively caught it.

"What is this?" I asked.

"Put it on. No more questions." He said.

I wondered what 'it' was and looked at what he threw me. It was a navy blue pair of coveralls with the name 'Steve' embroidered on the front.

I glanced around to make sure that they weren't joking, but everyone looked as serious as ever.

I slipped it on as easily as I could over my suit and zipped up the front, wondering what the hell was going on all the while.

As soon as I was dressed Luke said, "Let's go." And everyone immediately started moving.

Luke stepped out and walked toward the front entrance of the bank with the guy who had frisked me earlier.

The person who was sitting in the very back of the car stepped out and gestured me to follow him, "You're with me."

I hesitated for a second before following; I noticed that he was dressed identically in the same style overalls. He was also young; he couldn't have been more than nineteen, making me wonder how he managed to get brought on to this crew.

I glanced up at the building, it was a bank alright. I heard the SUV drive away behind us as we walked toward the entrance.

I glanced around as we walked through the main waiting area, past the counter where I saw Luke flash the card he had taken from the safe earlier and say, "So we'll only take about fifteen minutes tops to get the air flowing again. We'll have to shut the power down for safety reasons though while we work on it." But I missed whatever else he said because I was led down a hallway and into a maintenance room.

"I see you guys have done a lot of prep work." I muttered, watching as he locked the door behind us and then continued to push a filing cabinet to the side, revealing an opening that had been cut. I was thoroughly impressed at how much time it must have taken and curious to know how they've managed to cut into the side of a vault undetected. It was a smart plan, in most vaults, only the door is reinforced, it's a lot easier to cut through the surrounding wall.

"Come on." He said, gesturing me to follow him as we crouched and stepped through the opening.

"Edward, we've got your location, we're headed your way. Just hang tight." Jasper said.

By 'hang tight' I assumed he meant 'don't do anything stupid that could get you killed.'

I stepped through and my eyes widened once he clicked on a flashlight, revealing hundreds of silver boxes.

I followed behind as he walked to the far side of the room.

"Does this bank have more than one vault?" I asked.

"Yeah." He replied absentmindedly, searching for the box.

I was trying to think of some way to keep the situation calm until Jasper came with my backup.

"Open this box." He said, pointing to a box lower down, lighting it up with the flashlight. "You've got eight minutes."

I was going to have to stall.

"What's in it?" I asked, crouching down as if to get a better look.

"You'll find out when you open it."

"Well, I'm not opening it until I know what's in it." I argued back.

"Well, I'm not giving you a choice." He said, pulling the gun from inside his coat.

There was fear in his eyes as he pointed the gun at me. Fear and reluctance. He really didn't want to do this.

"Open it." He demanded, his voice wavering slightly.

I looked at him for a moment, trying to put the puzzle pieces together.

'_Why is he so scared?'_

And then it clicked

"You were the anonymous tip. You were the one who called the FBI about the heist."

He swallowed hard and the gun became slightly shaky in his hand as he looked at me with wide eyes.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He lied; I could see it all over his face. He obviously hadn't been a criminal long enough to really learn how to lie.

"Listen to me, my name is Agent Cullen, I'm a federal agent with the FBI." I said, holding my hands up defensively.

"Oh crap." He looked at me with wide eyes glancing around for an exit.

"Hold on. Why are you doing this if you called the FBI?" I asked him.

"If Luke finds out there's a fed, he's going to kill both of us." He said, starting to panic.

"No one's going to get killed. If you didn't want to do it, why didn't you just refuse the job?" I asked him, trying to keep him calm.

"You don't get it, I can't refuse. If I say no to a job, he'll kill me. He thinks that I'll turn him in. I was hoping that when you guys picked up Clayton that Luke would call it off when no one showed. But then you came, and now I have to go through with it." He said, pacing back and forth.

"The FBI is on the way. Jasper, how close are you guys?" I asked, pointing to my ear when he looked at me strangely.

"Close." He responded nonspecifically.

I turned to the guy, "Put the gun down and I can help you."

He just shook his head, shakier than ever.

"Listen to me. This is not going to end well if you don't put that down. The FBI is going to swarm this place soon. Luke and the rest of his team are going to jail, without your help he's not going to get put away for very long and then you'll be right back where you are now. We can help you make sure that that doesn't happen." I said, standing up and holding my hand out for the weapon.

"Come on." I urged, taking a step closer. "I can tell you're not a criminal."

He looked at me warily for a few moments before shakily handing it over.

I let out the breath I had been holding and tucked the gun into a pocket.

"How did you manage to get mixed up with Luke in the first place?" I asked, trying to keep him calm.

He leaned against the wall of metal boxes and slid to the floor. "He bailed me out of a sticky situation a while ago. I've been helping him out on his heists trying to pay him back ever since."

"So you don't even get a cut of the payout?" I asked, referring to the money they would get from the heist.

He shook his head, I felt bad for him.

I leaned against the wall and slid down next to him. He looked like he was going to be sick, so I just kept talking to try and distract him.

"So, what's in the box?" I asked.

I heard him chuckle a little, "I have no idea." He said.

After a moment of disbelief I couldn't help but let out a small laugh at how ridiculous the situation was.

After a minute or two I turned to him, "So, what's your name?"

He was much calmer when he looked at me and held out his hand, "Peter."

I accepted his handshake with a smile, "Nice to meet you Peter, I'm Edward."

* * *

It was many hours later that I took a long swig of the beer in front of me.

The FBI had come in as promised at the bank, Lance and the rest of his crew were locked up, and Peter was preparing to testify against them and was getting a good deal from the DA for it. Turns out, the item in the box had been a stolen artifact. Luke was planning on blackmailing the owner for a huge payout. Overall, it was a very long day.

"I need a vacation." I muttered to myself.

"Can I come?" Scarlet asked with a smile, sliding onto the stool next to me. I didn't realize how much I had missed having her at my side all day until that moment.

"Of course." I said, smiling back, all weariness gone.

"Where are we going?" She asked, raising an eyebrow suggestively.

"Where would you like to go?" I asked.

She appeared to think it over, "Well, I don't think the FBI would take too kindly to me leaving the country."

"We could smuggle you out." I offered with a small laugh.

"I've done it before, trust me; it's not as fun as you think it would be." She said, taking a sip of the drink that was placed in front of her.

I laughed a little uneasily, wondering if she was joking but knowing I wouldn't get a real answer if I asked.

"Hey Edward." I turned to see Jasper trying to flag down the bartender on my other side, "What are you two talking about?"

"Edward and I are going to take a vacation." Scarlet said with a smile.

His eyebrows rose and he looked at me, "Really? When was the last time you took any time off Edward, let alone a vacation?"

I looked away and took another swig, "It's been a while."

"Well, if anybody can convince you to take some time off your job it's her." Jasper said, gesturing to Scarlet before collecting his drink and leaving us.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Scarlet said, "So, did you enjoy your short-lived career as a felon?"

"More than I probably should have." I replied with a smile, swirling what remained of my drink.

She rolled her eyes but smiled nonetheless, after a few moment my curiosity got the better of me.

"Were you ever part of a crew?" I asked her.

She got that same faraway look in her eyes that arose whenever I asked her something personal.

"Yeah, I was." She said, tracing the rim of her drink.

The words were out of my mouth before I even realized I was saying them, "Why did you stop working with them?"

"It's complicated." She said quickly, the shield back up.

"When is it not?" I asked, keeping my eyes on her.

"True." She said, downing a good portion of her drink.

I thought that was the end of it, so I was surprised when she said, "There were some conflicting feelings between me and the leader of the crew."

"What kind of conflicting feelings?" I couldn't help but ask.

She gave me a look.

"Oh. That kind." I said, turning in my seat with my eyebrows slightly raised.

"Well, it was more than that. I had good reasons for choosing to go off on my own." She said.

We were both quiet for a few moments.

"Well, I'm glad you're not anymore." I said, touching her shoulder with mine.

I felt her turn her head to look at me, "Not what? Part of a crew?"

"No." I turned my head and gave her a soft smile, "Alone."

The smile that crept onto her lips after I said that was one of my new favorites.

* * *

**A/N: I got quite a few tea recommendations from the last chapter, I have yet to try them all out though. Anyways, let me know what you think of this chapter. Same deal as before, if you don't feel like writing out a review, just copy and paste a smiley face from below. It's simple and easy. The one with the mustache seems to be a clear favorite judging from last week's reviews.**

**:) or :( or ****:P**** or ****;D**** or ****:{D **


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT **

**EPOV**

"What makes you think this is a good idea Edward?" He asked, leaning back in his expensive office chair with his fingers interlocked in front of him.

"Because she hasn't done anything to make us believe that she would try anything." I said.

"Yet." Was his small add on, referring to the fact that she could very well bolt at any second.

"She would be under my supervision at all times, she has the tracking anklet on which she can't tamper with, and it's really not all that far from here." I said, stretching things a little.

He swiveled in his chair a bit, the only outward sign that he was thinking it over.

After a moment he opened his mouth to speak but I cut him off.

"Before you answer, I just want to point out the fact that she is unlikely to listen to anyone except me, and if I'm not here…"

He paused, the lines around his mouth deepening slightly.

"You make a good point."

There were a few tense seconds as he mulled over my proposition.

"Alright, fine." He said, picking up a stack of papers that was lying on his desk and riffling through them.

I thought that was the end of it and was about to leave when he spoke up, "So I guess you've gotten over your initial dislike of your partner."

I almost cracked a smile, "Yeah, we're pretty close now."

"Well, just make sure she doesn't do anything stupid while you're out there, you both know the consequences." He said.

I cleared my throat and tried not to crack a smile when I said, "Don't worry sir, I'll make sure to stay on top of her."

With one last grateful smile I made my exit to go tell Scarlet the good news.

**BPOV**

"You wanna take me where?" I asked him, assuming that I had misheard him.

"You said you wanted to go on vacation with me, and that's where I'm going." He responded with that damn smile.

My eyes narrowed slightly, "So let me get this straight, you want to take a criminal home to see your parents?"

He nodded, "Yep."

"Why on earth would you want to do that?" I asked, my voice raising an octave.

"Because I haven't seen them in a while and since you are required to come with me, you have no choice." He responded, striding out of the room.

I followed quickly behind, I wasn't about to let him off the hook that easily.

"Why can't I just stay here?"

He stopped and turned back to me, "You don't want to come with me?"

His expression was mildly crushing and I immediately felt slightly guilty for suggesting it.

"No, I do, really. I just…I don't know." I said, realizing that I really wasn't sure myself why I was so adverse to this trip.

"Trust me, it'll be fun. Please?" He said, gripping my shoulders and giving me that damn smile.

I sighed, caving.

"When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow morning." he responded, I made an unhappy face at him.

He just smiled that damn smile.

**EPOV**

I honked the horn twice at the never-ending line of traffic before me.

I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel and looked over at Scarlet in the passenger seat.

She was staring out the window and her hand was resting in her lap, her fingers were clenched.

"'You okay?" I asked her.

She seemed to snap out of whatever place her mind had been, "What? Oh, yeah I'm fine."

I was unconvinced.

"Don't worry, it'll be a lot of fun. Besides, we're only going to be there today and tomorrow." I said, sending her a soft smile. She hesitated a moment before giving one back. I could still see the worry behind her expression.

"Well, we will if we actually get there today." I grumbled and resisted the urge to honk my horn again. She just went back to staring out the window.

It was a couple hours later that the six lane highway turned into a dirt road and concrete turned into trees.

"Where did you say your parents live?" Scarlet asked me.

"I didn't, they moved out here a while ago, they wanted to get away from all the hustle and bustle of the city." I said.

"Well, they definitely accomplished that." She mumbled, her gaze sweeping over the endless expanse of trees.

I followed the path in my memory until I was pulling up in front of the house.

I put the car in park and got out, circling around quickly to open Scarlet's door for her.

She raised an eyebrow at my action and gave me a disapproving look.

"What?" I asked, giving her a smile.

"I can open my own door." She said.

"I know." I said, "But I wanted to do it."

She didn't say anything else and I watched as her eyes left my face and traveled over her surroundings.

I smiled when I saw her jaw drop slightly.

"I know it's not what you're used to, but I think you'll still like it." I said.

If she'd lived in the city her entire life like I suspected, than this was definitely going to be a new experience for her.

She seemed to be in awe as she continued to take in her surroundings.

I chuckled and she shook her head to clear it. She looked at me with a look that obviously held a question.

"What?" I asked, confused.

Her eyes shifted back to the house, "When were you planning on telling me that you were rich?"

"What are you talking about?" I asked, glancing at the house but obviously not seeing whatever she was.

"Edward, your parents own a mansion, on a lake, with like an acre of forest attached to the backyard." She said.

"Well, it's more like an acre and a half." I said absentmindedly as I circled around the car to grab our bags from the trunk.

I shouldered the two bags and shut the trunk.

"Come on." I said, sending her another smile and walking toward the house.

After a couple seconds of hesitation I heard her following behind me.

I adjusted the bags on my shoulder and climbed the front steps before knocking on the large mahogany door. Scarlet's footsteps were slower as she caught up with me.

I was looking over my shoulder to send her a reassuring smile when the door opened.

I turned back and was met with the sight of my mother sending me the same bright smile she had been giving me since I was born.

I was immediately pulled into a tight hug, "It's so good to see you. You don't visit often enough." She said.

I laughed, "You could always come down and visit me."

"You're always called into work whenever we do." She said, pulling back and holding me at arm's length.

I saw her eyes glance behind me and an excited look came over her face, telling me that she had spotted Scarlet.

I took a step back and gestured to Scarlet, "Mom, this is Scarlet, she's my partner at the bureau."

Out of all the situations Scarlet and I had been in, I had never seen her as nervous as she was in that moment.

She stepped forward and extended her hand, "Hi Mrs. Cullen, I'm-"

She didn't get to continue what she was going to say because she was immediately pulled into a bone-crushing hug that prevented her from saying anything more.

Scarlet sent me a wide-eyed look to which I merely chuckled.

When they finally separated we were both ushered inside quickly. My mother kept sending me bright smiles and not so subtle gestures to Scarlet who pretended not to notice.

"Good to see you Edward." My father said as he strolled into the entryway.

I watched his eyes widen as well when he spotted Scarlet.

"Dad, this is Scarlet. Scarlet, this is my father Carlisle." I said, stepping back to let Scarlet step forward. She shook his extended hand with a smile, but I could still see the nervousness in her eyes.

My mother must have sensed it too and said, "Why don't I show you the guest room so that you can have somewhere to put your stuff."

I sent Scarlet a small smile that was meant to be encouraging, but she didn't seem any more at ease.

**BPOV**

It was later as the day was coming to a close when we were all sitting down at the ornately decorated dining room table for dinner.

Everything was going smoothly, Edward was answering a majority of the questions for me-making me eternally grateful- until they got to my work for the FBI.

"So, are you an agent too? Edward hasn't told us much." Esme said, giving Edward a look.

I swallowed hard as I took a sip of water.

Placing my cup back on the table I cleared my throat and said, "No, actually I'm working as a consultant for the FBI."

"What do you consult on?" Carlisle asked, his tone interested.

"Oh, this and that, whatever my expertise can help on." I said, attempting to be vague.

"Do you have a degree in criminology?" Esme asked, taking a bite of food.

I swallowed again, and glanced at Edward with a quick worried look, "Not quite."

Edward cleared his throat and said, "Scarlet has had a lot of up-close looks at the criminal world and helps us spot things we may have ordinarily missed."

I sent him a look of relief and was thankful when the topic was changed.

The rest of the conversations went smoothly and I managed to avoid anything too personal. It was only after dinner was finished and dessert was consumed that we each went our separate ways for the night.

As I made my way to the guest room I tried to figure out what it was that had me so anxious about being there. By the time I made it to my room I put it down to the fact that I hadn't been in a situation that involves family in a long time and that I was unfamiliar with the associated behavior. Or at least that's what I told myself when placed my head on the pillow.

I had been tossing and turning for an hour before I realized that I wasn't going to be able to fall asleep. Something was missing, and as soon as I realized what it was, I peeled the covers back and slipped out bed.

It didn't take me long and soon I was climbing through Edward's open window.

"Wha..? How did you get in here?"

"Through the window."

"My room is on the second story."

"I used the tree."

"There's no tree outside my window."

"Are you really complaining? Because I can go back." I gestured over my shoulder with my thumb.

His only response was to wrap his arms around my waist and pull me onto the bed with him, making me laugh.

Soon his arms were wrapped snuggly around me and I was swept into the shadowy vertigo of dreams.

**EPOV**

I awoke to a bright light hitting my face, streaming in from the window beside my bed.

I squinted and adjusted myself so that it was no longer blinding me. I looked down and smiled when I saw Scarlet still sound asleep tucked under my arm. She was sleeping peacefully, her chest rising and falling with each intake of breath, the epitome of tranquility.

I smoothed a hair back behind her ear, marveling at the smoothness of her skin. Her face held none of the stress or worry lines that were usually present.

The idea of breakfast in bed hit me and I smiled. Rather than wake her, I carefully extracted my arm and got up from the bed slowly, trying not to make a sound.

I crept across the room and closed the door softly behind me.

I was making my way down the hall and was about to turn the corner into the kitchen when I nearly jumped out of my skin.

"Good morning Edward!" My mother said cheerily as she flipped another pancake.

"'morning" I replied, still trying to recover from the scare she had unintentionally given me.

After grabbing a mug of coffee, I took a seat at the table and watched her hum to herself as she continued making breakfast.

"So, what are you doing up so early? I thought you would have wanted to sleep in on your days off." She said, glancing at me before returning to her cooking.

I shrugged even though she didn't see me, "I guess I'm just used to waking up at this time." I said with a yawn.

It was silent for a while, a comfortable silence.

"You know, it's funny." She said, "I walked by the guest room this morning, and it was surprisingly empty."

She turned and gave me a small smile that had a hint of a smirk in it; I just avoided her eyes and took a sip from my mug, a smile of my own tugging at my lips.

"She's good for you. I haven't seen you smile as much as you do when she's next to you." She said.

She put some of the pancakes on a plate and handed me another mug of coffee. I accepted it with a thank you, not even bothering to ask how she read my mind. She gestured me out of the room, but stopped me right before I left. "I need to pick up a few things from downtown this afternoon, I was wondering if you and Scarlet would like to come with me."

"Sure." I said, replicating her smile before leaving the room, looking forward to spending the entire day with Scarlet without being called into work.

**BPOV**

I walked beside Edward a few hours later, both of us following behind Esme as she decided which stores were worth stopping in.

I pretended not to notice how every once in a while I'd feel Edward's hand brush against mine more and more as we walked. I smirked when we stopped and the full back of his hand was resting against mine.

I was beginning to wonder how much longer it would take him to gain the courage to hold it completely.

I got my answer a few minutes later when he ventured out and clasped it. It was about as subtle as the yawn move guys make when they want to put their arm around you.

I rolled my eyes but didn't withdraw my hand and soon I noticed that his smile was a little bit brighter.

At one point, when his mother was inside one of the shops, he spotted something and said, "Wait here, I'll be right back."

Before I could say anything, he was crossing the street and I was left on the sidewalk at a loss of what to do.

I wasn't by myself for long; Esme soon came out of the shop with two more bags added to her collection.

"Here, let me help you." I said, taking some of the bags for her.

"Thank you." She said, I noticed that her eyes crinkled in the same way Edward's did whenever she smiled.

"Where did Edward run off to?" She asked, looking around to see if she could spot him.

I shrugged, "I have absolutely no idea."

I stood there for a few moments, having no idea what I was supposed to say to the mother of my…whatever Edward was to me.

That thought made me stop short because I really didn't know what he was. I doubt there was an accurate label for what we had.

"I'm so glad you decided to come along with Edward." She smiled at me, completely unaffected by the awkwardness of the situation.

I nodded in agreement but still had no idea what to say.

I was about to comment on how nice the weather was when she spoke up, "I'm glad you've started working with my son, he acts a lot different around you-in a better way."

I did a double-take and ended up looking at her in surprise, I had absolutely no idea what she meant by that.

Just then Edward returned, baring two flowers; a rose for his mother and a freesia for me. I rolled my eyes at him but accepted the flower, fully aware that his small gestures were making me go soft whether I wanted to or not.

I was also fully aware of Esme giving me a pointed look as she accepted her flower, making me think that this was not normal behavior for Edward.

My feet trailed in the warm water as I sat on the dock many hours later, my mind wandering.

I hadn't corrected Edward earlier when he'd assumed that I had always lived in the city. The truth was, coming out here threw me straight back into my childhood. It wasn't exactly like the place I had called home once, but it was similar enough to get my mind spinning.

The sunset scenery before me faded away as my memories overtook me.

_I was looking out my bedroom window, pretending not to hear the raging argument that was growing on the other side of the wall. I was counting down the days until I would be able to drive back to the university with Jacob._

_Eventually the argument subsided and I breathed out a sigh of relief, happy that the storm was over for the moment._

_A few hours later there was a knock on my bedroom door followed by the sound of it opening, "Alright, well you're father and I are about to head to the airport. No matter how much he doesn't want to." She mumbled the last part to herself bitterly as she stepped into my room._

_I turned from the window and sent her a small smile to let her know that everything was okay._

_She glanced at her watch and then looked back up at me, "Are you sure you'll be alright by yourself for a few days. I don't like leaving you here, but your father and I really need this. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important." She said. There was a sad and desperate depth to her eyes that I always hated seeing. _

_I nodded, "Yeah, don't worry, It'll be fine. Besides, Jake's coming over later today so I won't be alone."_

"_Good." She said absentmindedly, making me think that she hadn't actually heard a word I said._

_She glanced at her watch again, impatient as ever._

_Just then my father poked his head in the door, "Renee, are we ready to go?"_

_His tone was cautious, telling me that he hadn't been the victor of their fight and that he was currently on thin ice._

_I saw her lips purse at his presence but she nodded nonetheless. He turned to look at me and I gave him the same smile I had given her._

_Minutes later we were all downstairs and I was giving them hugs goodbye. Soon the front door was closed behind them and I was watching through the window as they packed their luggage into the car and proceeded to drive away._

_I wouldn't find out until much later that that would be the last memory I would have with them._

I was pulled from my reminiscence by the sound of footsteps behind me on the dock. I soon recognized them as Edward's. He came to stand beside me and smiled down at me.

"Hey." He said.

"Hey." I replied, looking up at him for a few moments before gazing out at the sunset before me. He followed my line of sight and watched with me.

I could hear the waves lapping against the shore softly, I breathed in the tranquility around me.

"You've been out here a while. What've you been thinking about?" He asked.

"Nothing in particular."

He nodded, choosing not to pry.

Moments later he spoke up again, "How's the water?"

"It's nice." I said, emphasizing my point by swinging my legs and splashing the water.

"Maybe I'll go for a swim." He said with a smile, "Care to join me?"

I shook my head, "I don't think so. I'd rather-"

My answer was cut off when he quickly bent down and scooped me up, making me immediately start trying to struggle out of his grasp.

"Edward, put me down!" I yelled, trying to keep the laugh out of my voice but failing miserably.

He just smiled and jumped into the water, still holding onto me.

The water rushed all around me, and it was deep enough that I had to kick a few times before I came gasping to the surface.

Edward broke the surface a moment after with a wide smile.

"Oh, you are sooo dead." I said, wiping the wet strands of hair from my face and working to tread water.

He chuckled and I noticed that his hair was sticking up in different places and sticking to his face in others.

I narrowed my eyes and dove at him, trying to grab onto him but the water made it hard to move quickly. I was out of my element.

He just laughed harder and swam to avoid me. Every time I got close he would slip away and soon that turned into a splashing match that somehow ended with him kissing me.

He pulled back a few inches and his breath was short when he asked me, "So what were you really thinking about when I came along?"

"Just some memories. Nothing really important." I said vaguely, not wanting to get into it.

He nodded. I could tell that he knew I was lying, and the fact that he just smiled and brushed a wet strand of hair from my face made something inside me melt a little more.

The drive took us longer back than it did to get there, but I really didn't mind. I was in a good mood despite taking an involuntary swim earlier.

I smirked to myself at the memory. I looked over at Edward and saw that part of his hair was still wet.

As I continued to look at him I realized how much I was falling for him. And what amazed me more was how that no longer terrified me as much as I thought it would.

I was happier now than I could remember being in a long time, and it was all because of the man sitting in the car next to me.

It was late when he finally pulled the car into the parking space at our building. He put it in park and turned it off but neither of us moved.

Both of us realized that once we got out of that car the vacation would be over, that things would immediately go back to how they were before we left.

I turned to look at him with a smile, "Thanks for the vacation, I'm glad I went."

He smiled back, looking just as happy as I felt. "Me too. My parents absolutely loved you."

We sat there for a few moments more.

"We should probably head in. Have to get up bright and early tomorrow." I said.

He nodded in agreement but neither of us moved.

After a few moments I let out a sigh and leaned over, lightly brushing my lips against his briefly.

"Not that I'm complaining, but what was that for exactly?" He asked with a smile.

I was still close to him when I shrugged and smirked a little, "Do I need a reason?" I said before quickly pulling away and getting out of the car.

We grabbed our bags and headed for the building. Edward struggled with finding the keyhole in the dark but eventually we got inside.

I reached in my pocket for my phone and cursed.

"Damn, I left my phone in the car." I said, dropping my bag, "I'm going to have to run down and grab it."

"Do you want me to go with you?" Edward asked, putting his own bag down.

"No, that's okay. Just toss me the keys; it'll only take me a second."

He fished in his pocket and threw them to me; I snatched them from the air and went out the door.

After jogging down the stairs and out into the parking garage, I unlocked the car and leaned in. I had to search for a while but eventually found it hiding under the seat and grabbed it with triumph.

Pocketing it, I closed the door and locked the car, turning around in the dark parking garage to head back to the building. The expected silence in the parking garage was interrupted when I heard a throat clearing behind me.

"It's been a long time, but I gotta say you haven't changed a bit."

A chill immediately gripped me and ran down my spine like a piece of ice. That voice. That voice that I knew so well, the one that would be forever engraved in my mind.

I turned slowly, praying that I was insane. That I was just hearing voices.

But I should have known better.

When I was fully turned, I felt all the blood drain from my face. That icy feeling was now spread throughout every particle of my being.

He smiled, but it was malicious.

My breath came out with one word,

"Jacob."

**A/N: I know I know, it's been a long time between updates-you don't have to tell me (though I'm sure many of you will). Though I may sound like a broken record by now, I've got waaaay too much stuff to do right now and I'm writing during whatever scraps of free time I get. Yet again, smiley faces have been placed for your copy and pasting convenience if you don't feel like writing a review. Or you can type in whichever swear word you see fit because I left it at yet another cliffhanger.**

**:) or :( or ****:P**** or ****;D**** or ****:{D **


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT **

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* * *

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**BPOV**

My breathing felt constricted as my mind attempted to take in what was before me.

I attempted to swallow, but my throat was too dry, adding to my already considerable amount of discomfort. _'Say something you idiot! Don't let yourself appear vulnerable.'_ My mind yelled at me and I concentrated all my energy on taking in oxygen.

My breath was still shaky as I exhaled, but my voice was relatively strong and unwavering when I said, "What are you doing here Jacob?"

His smile stretched a fraction wider at my finally addressing him.

"I wanted to see you." Was the response I received as he pushed himself off the car. I reacted without thinking and took a step back, and judging from the new smile on his face, he realized exactly how trepid I was.

"I thought you were-"

"In prison?" He chuckled, staring into me, "Got out early. Good behavior."

I attempted to swallow again.

"How did you find me?"

"You don't give me as much credit as you used to." He said, releasing a faux sigh.

I just waited for him to answer the question.

He seemed to realize that I was waiting for him to elaborate and sighed using his hands as he spoke, "I know a guy who knows a guy who knows someone who heard a rumor that you were here. I gotta say, you chose pretty well for a place to settle. Couldn't have done much better myself, though I think anything would have been better than that hell hole we came from." He chuckled, his eyes glancing around.

I quickly glanced over my shoulder, expecting more figures from my past to crawl from the shadows. But from what I could see at that moment, it just appeared to be the two of us, though it did nothing to lessen my worries.

I jumped at the sound of a car backfiring a ways away and chided myself for scaring so easily.

I kept my eyes on him, still trying to figure out what was happening.

He just continued to smile and I began to wonder if the maliciousness I had seen at first was my own mind conjuring up images that I expected to see.

I wanted to know what he was thinking, not knowing what his motives towards me could prove to be dangerous.

It was only when I was sure that I had a proper grip on myself and was convinced that if he was going to do anything he would have already done it, that I spoke again.

"What do you want Jacob?"

His smile wavered slightly at my blunt question, perhaps expecting me to be more welcoming, though I had no idea why he would think I would be.

"I just wanted to see you. I haven't seen you in years, I was curious to see how you were doing on your own." He seemed to look around a bit more and nodded to himself as if in confirmation of something.

"I think it would be best if you just left Jacob. Now." I said, trying to lace the authority my mind wanted me to have, into my voice.

The look that proceeded to coat his features was heartrending and it made something pull inside me that I immediately squelched before it had a chance to grow.

"Whether you believe me or not, prison did a lot of good for me. I'm a changed man. Honest. I just wanted to make sure you were doing okay, and I can see that you are."

Something inside of me thawed a little without my consent or awareness.

Before I had a chance to respond, he walked back the way he had appeared, disappearing into the dark that I had once known him to be so fond of.

I wasn't fooled. I knew that I would be seeing him again. It was only a matter of when.

* * *

I closed the apartment door behind me and leaned against it, closing my eyes with a sigh. There were too many thoughts flying through my head at the moment to think properly.

I heard footsteps and my eyes shot open, my hands coming up defensively.

"Whoa, didn't mean to startle you." Edward said, a soft smile on his face as he held his hands up in a calming gesture.

I ran a hand through my hair, trying to relax my erratic heartbeat.

"So, did you find it?" Edward asked as I stopped leaning against the door and began to walk past him.

"What?" I shook my head a little in an attempt to focus.

"Your phone. Did you find it?" He asked, raising his eyebrows a little.

"Oh, right. Yeah, it was under the seat. Here are your keys." I fished them out of my pocket and placed them in his outstretched palm.

I gave him a soft smile when the suspicious look on his face didn't fade. It must have been convincing enough because he returned it and walked away.

The smile faded as soon as he was out of sight and I was left to the destructive thoughts of my past.

* * *

**EPOV**

"You've got a new case." Jasper said, dropping the file on my desk the next morning.

"Already?" I asked, I had literally been back at work for an hour or two at the most.

"Welcome back." He said with a sarcastic smile and left, closing the door behind him.

I sighed and picked up the manila folder, flipping it open to see its contents.

I browsed through the notes that the original FBI agent had scribbled down but didn't take in much other than what was necessary. From the looks of it, someone called in the theft and is still waiting for some action on our part.

I noted the address and closed the folder before standing up. My eyes went to the chair that I could usually find Scarlet sitting in but noticed its emptiness.

My brow contracted a fraction and I left my office to check the most likely places she would be.

When I came up dry I stopped one of the interns in the hallway that was rushing by, "Have you seen my partner?"

"Scarlet." I said in response to the blank look I received as an answer.

"Oh, the criminal girl. I think I saw her in the break room." She said and hurried off to continue whatever mindless task she had been assigned.

I made a face at the nickname but was happy that I now had a location.

I strolled around the corner of the hallway and into the break room. Sure enough, there was Scarlet, grumbling angrily at the coffee machine that did not appear to be cooperating with her and her demands for caffeine.

I chuckled, gaining her attention as I held up the folder.

"New case." I said.

She nodded, "Just give me a second here." She returned to tinkering with the overused and out of date machinery.

"Leave it; we'll pick some up on our way over to the scene." I said.

With one last glare at the appliance she followed me as we left.

"Trust me." I said, "That coffee is definitely not worth the amount of effort you were putting into getting it."

Her returning smile was strained slightly and left me wanting to ask questions that I knew I would never receive truthful answers to.

* * *

Twenty minutes later we were cruising down the busy streets, my cup of coffee sitting in the cup holder yet to be touched while her's was comfortably gripped in her hands for easier access.

"So, two shots of espresso. New taste you're trying out?" I asked, trying to start any conversation.

She blinked a few times and finally seemed to realize that I had asked her something.

"No, I just didn't get much sleep last night." Her tone laced with fatigue.

"How little?" I asked, concerned without thinking to be.

"None."

"Oh." Was my brilliant response.

She just took another long swig of her drink.

Twenty silence-filled minutes later we turned onto a much less busy street that was speckled with townhouses.

I parallel parked between a Mercedes and a Bentley-obvious signs of the neighborhoods wealth-and we got out of the car.

"So what's the story?" Scarlet asked as she walked beside me on my approach to the door.

"Mr…Hayward." I said, glancing at the file, "Filed a report this morning, claiming that part of his multi-million dollar art collection was stolen from his home last night."

"And?" She asked.

"That's all we've got so far." I said, stepping onto the front steps and ringing the doorbell.

There were a half-dozen seconds of silence between us until she said, "Who keeps their multi-million dollar art collection in a place like this and is then surprised when it's stolen?"

Before I had a chance to respond the door was opened and I was forced to present my shield for identification.

"Oh, right this way. I'll go get Mr. Hayward for you." She said, ushering us inside and closing the door behind us.

We were led into a posh room that was ornate with antique wood and had a wet bar in the corner next to a handful of bookshelves that were overflowing with novels and manuscripts.

Scarlet let out an appreciative whistle and I nodded in agreement. Someone was enjoying a comfortable lifestyle.

A throat cleared behind me and I turned to notice a man in his late sixties entering the room with a solemn expression.

He shook my hand then Scarlet's, nodding for us both to sit down in the burgundy colored armchairs.

"Mr. Hayward, my name is Agent Edward Cullen and this is my associate Scarlet. The bureau got your call that there was a theft here last night?" I said, trying to get the conversation rolling.

He nodded, "Yes, four of my paintings were taken from my collection, works that have been in my family for decades."

I nodded and began scribbling down the important things. "What time did you notice the paintings were stolen?"

"One of my cleaners found the empty frames this morning around seven a.m." He said after a moment of recollecting.

I nodded and wrote it down, "Can you think of how theft may have occurred without your knowledge at the time?"

"I was at a fundraiser for my charity until the early hours of this morning and went straight to bed, I'm sure if I had checked the paintings would have been gone when I returned." He said, his eyes distant.

I wrote down the approximate time frame and said, "It would be very helpful if I could get a list of everyone who knew you were going to be at the event all night, and also a list of your house workers. It will help us narrow down possible suspects."

He nodded and said he would get it to me soon and then proceeded to lead us to the room with the missing paintings.

This room was similar to the last in its décor, and done with the same amount of taste that was regal and antique except for the four frames with scraps of canvas still hanging from them.

"They just cut it from the frame?" I asked, astonished. Even I knew that you weren't supposed to do that to priceless art.

I could tell that it bothered Scarlet too because she said, "I guess they valued time more than the entire painting."

"The frames are bolted into the wall; I was assured that they would be next to impossible to remove." Mr. Hayward commented bitterly.

"Well, I guess they thought around that." I said, taking a closer look at one of them.

After a few more moments of close examination I turned to him and said, "I'll be sending someone from our crime scene unit here to see if there is any tangible evidence left behind. They'll also need a set of your prints and those of your house workers to distinguish between the ones they find."

He nodded, but my words did not seem to console him in any amount.

"It would be very helpful if you left it as it is, it will be easier if everything is left untouched." I continued.

"Of course." He said, taking a step back from the paintings as if temptation would have gotten the better of him at some point had he not.

I nodded once more, trying to remember if there was anything else I needed to discuss with him before I left and couldn't think of anything.

I looked over at Scarlet to see if she had any questions or thoughts on the matter but she seemed to be just as distracted and lost in her own world as earlier this morning.

* * *

It was a few hours later that we were sitting in my office with Jasper. He had decided to tag along to the investigation after all and was now sitting in one of my few office chairs tossing a ball between his hands.

"So, they're still running the list of names?" He asked.

I nodded and caught the ball when he tossed it to me. "Yeah, no hits yet. There are still a lot of names to run through though so hopefully we'll get something out of it."

He nodded slowly to himself as if he had had the same thought.

"We could go check out the charity." Scarlet said, chipping in for the first time since we got back.

Jasper and I both turned to look at her, both of us thinking over her proposition.

"Sure. Why not?" I said, tossing the ball to Jasper as I got up, followed by Scarlet.

"Jasper, why don't you go and see if you can't get them to run through those names any faster." I said, opening my door.

He mumbled something unintelligible but otherwise said nothing as we left.

* * *

When Scarlet and I arrived at the location of the previous night's fundraiser, it was all hands on deck.

We saw the person barking orders and correctly assumed that she was the one in charge of the situation.

We sidled up to her and were only able to gain her attention when I waved my badge. She made a face at the interruption, but ushered us to a quieter office.

"Will this take long, we're trying to get things set up for our second night of the event." She said, leaning back against the large wooden desk.

"I think we can get through this relatively quickly. As soon as our questions are answered we'll be out of your hair." I said, sending a smile to hopefully get her to agree to my terms.

She seemed to realize that she didn't have much choice in the matter and leaned back into the desk a little more, enough resignation to let me know to start my questioning.

"This charity belongs to Mr. Hayward, correct?" I asked.

She nodded, "Yes, technically it is his charity."

Her wording was questionable; I decided to pick at it, "Technically?"

"Yes. _Technically_ it is his charity and his name is the one on the logo. But everyone knows that it's me and a few others that run the show." She said, a bitterness in her tone that detracted from her looks.

"So, Mr. Hayward doesn't partake in the company much?" I asked, an attempt to get her to elaborate.

"Not when he can help it. He shows up for the big events just to claim the work that the rest of the company has done in his name." She said, looking out the window at the view.

I could tell that she still wasn't saying everything and waited.

"Oh, and he also shows up when he feels like shutting down any new ideas that anyone else might have. God forbid they might save some more lives even if someone else gets the credit for thinking of it other than Hayward."

Soon after writing down the important aspects of what she had said, I thanked her, and we left.

On our way out, I stopped at the desk of the secretary, "Excuse me. I was wondering if you could get me a list of people who were recently let go."

She smiled, her eyes darted to the badge I was holding and proceeded to type something into the keyboard.

Her eyes darted to me twice as she was typing, the small smile still present as a blush coated her cheeks.

I heard Scarlet clear her throat beside me and the woman's smile faded as she caught Scarlet's eye.

I turned my head to look at Scarlet, but whatever spiteful look she had been giving the overly helpful secretary was wiped from her face, replaced with a look of nonchalance as she found her fingernails to be very interesting.

When I turned again, the secretary was holding out a piece of paper that I accepted with a thank you, very aware of Scarlet's eyes on me.

* * *

**BPOV**

Edward had a smug look on his face as we rode the elevator up to the floor of his office.

My annoyance was stronger than my curiosity; it was the only thing that was preventing me from asking him what he was smiling about.

Of course, I found out anyways.

"You were jealous." He said, no longer able to hold it in any longer.

I rolled my eyes. "Get over yourself Edward."

He just continued to smile smugly.

After three more floors of silence, he chuckled softly and said, "I think it's cute. I've never seen you jealous before."

"I wasn't jealous." I said briskly, hoping that was the end of it.

Two more floors of silence.

"Were too." He said quietly.

"Were not. Why should I care if you flirt shamelessly with a girl?" I said, trying to keep my voice even.

Both of us were still facing the doors, neither of us daring to look at the other.

"Definitely jealous." He said, the smile still in his tone as the elevator reached our floor and we stepped out.

"You're impossible." I grumbled, lengthening my stride to get ahead of him so that I wouldn't deck him.

I was almost clear when I felt his hand on my forearm and I was pulled back.

Before I could even protest, he pulled me into the nearest conference room and shut the door.

"You can't ju-"

But my anger was put on hold for the moment because he interrupted me with a deep kiss.

I berated myself mentally as my body immediately gave in and leaned into him without hesitation.

He pulled back, smoothing my cheek with his thumb. "You have nothing to be jealous of."

He gave me a chaste kiss and a smile before he slipped out the door.

I cursed as the fuzziness finally cleared from my mind enough for me to realize how much influence he had over my emotions.

* * *

It was only moments after I walked into Edward's office that Jasper threw the door open quickly, nearly knocking into me.

"Sorry." He mumbled, before striding quickly over to Edward's desk and throwing another file onto it.

"We got a hit." He said, his excitement evident.

Edward looked up at him for a second before flipping open the folder and letting his eyes trail over its contents.

It must have been pretty good because his eyebrows rose quite a bit.

"What's it say?" I asked, craning my neck even though it didn't help.

"We ran the prints from the list of charity workers and one of them isn't who they say they are." He said, his eyes returning to the folder.

"Oh?" I asked, getting up from my usual chair to stand behind him, reading over his shoulder.

"It turns out that a Mr. Jason Newman is actually Robert Stradley. His file says that he did a few years for a B & E a while back." He paused, "B & E stands for 'breaking and entering'. He clarified, glancing at me.

"I know what it means. Trust me." I said, not taking my eyes off the folder though I felt his glance at me.

He closed the folder with a 'snap' and said, "Do we have the warrant yet?" This question was directed at Jasper who held up a folded piece of paper.

"Let's go get him." I said with a smile.

* * *

**EPOV**

"Robert Stradley, this is the FBI! We have a warrant, open the door!" I said, pounding on the apartment door with my closed fist, letting out a frustrated sigh.

"You know, just once I'd like them to actually open the door." I muttered, stepping back.

"Maybe you should consider not yelling that you're with the FBI, it's not exactly a welcome greeting for felons." Scarlet said, shrugging.

I sent her a quick look before gesturing for the landlord to unlock the door.

When we heard the lock turn, we gestured for the landlord to move and entered the apartment.

We immediately heard noises coming from one of the back rooms and I drew my gun.

"Get behind me." I ordered, glad that she didn't hesitate to listen.

I pointed to the two uniformed officers with us and then pointed to the doors.

They nodded in understanding and went to make sure that the other rooms were clear. While they did that, Scarlet and I continued to shuffle forward quietly but quickly.

We heard more noises and increased our pace, "Robert Stradley, this is the FBI!" I yelled again, but got the same response.

Then we heard a noise that made us stop and glance at each other. It was the unmistakable sound of a window opening.

Our footsteps pounded faster as we sprinted around the corner of the hallway and spotted a leg disappearing out the window and onto the fire escape.

We both ran for him. I was fast. But Scarlet was faster.

She slipped through the open window a second ahead of me, "Scarlet, this is not to time to play hero. Get back here." I said, looking at her through the open window.

"Edward, you and I both know that I have more experience navigating on rooftops and scaling buildings. Go cut him off at the bottom." She said quickly before turning around and taking the steps of the fire escape down three at a time.

I swore before holstering my gun and running out of the apartment, also taking the stairs a few at a time.

"I'm going to kill her. I swear to god, I'm going to kill her." I said to myself, as I reached the bottom.

I drew my gun once more as I pushed open the fire exit into the alley.

I heard someone crying out and ran around the corner around the building, afraid of what I might find.

I stopped short at the sight I found.

"Would you get her off of me!" Robert Stradley yelled, his face contorting in pain as she bent his arm back at an awkward angle as she pushed his face against the brick side of the building.

I holstered my weapon and walked forward, taking my handcuffs out in the process.

He was panting hard, obviously not a consistent exerciser. He attempted to struggle out of her grasp, but she just bent his elbow a little more and he quickly put a stop to it.

"Listen, whatever you think I did. I didn't do it!" He said, his eyes darting between both of us.

"Wow, never heard that before." I said, slapping the handcuffs on his wrists and relieving Scarlet from her guard duty.

She stepped back and I briefly registered that she was paler than usual, before returning my attention to the arrested.

"Robert Stradley, you are under arrest for larceny, more specifically, the theft of a majority of the Hayward art collection."

"I didn't do that!" He yelled, looking at both of us for any signs of kindness.

We walked him back around the corner and handed him off to the uniformed officers who had finally caught up.

"I swear, I didn't do it! If anyone it was that asshole Newman! He's hated Hayward from the beginning!" He yelled to me before he was placed inside the back of the police cruiser.

The car pulled away soon after and we stood on the sidewalk and watched it.

"Do you believe him?" Scarlet asked without looking at me.

"I don't know. With his record, it doesn't look good for him. He's our best lead at the moment, so I'm not about to let him go anywhere." I responded.

"But you're still going to check out whoever Newman is." She said, it wasn't a question.

"Yep." I said, pulling out my phone to make the call.

* * *

**BPOV**

I lagged behind a little bit as we climbed up the steps of the front porch of Gregory Newman's home many hours later.

The caffeine from that morning was now out of my system, the adrenaline rush I had experienced while running down the fire escape was now gone, and I was experiencing all the wonderful effects that accompanied the crashes that followed both of those things.

If anything, I was just as tired as that morning, except that when I woke up I didn't have a baseball sized bruise on my hip from miscalculating a jump while chasing a criminal down a fire escape.

I hadn't yet told Edward about the bruise. I didn't see a need to worry him. Plus, the depth of concern his eyes always seemed to make me feel things I wasn't used to feeling.

So I trudged behind him, my face a mask against the pain that each step caused to tremble up my body.

I held my eyes open even wider to stop them from falling closed like they ached to do. As soon as we were done there, I was looking forward to a very very long nap.

Edward raised his fist and knocked on the door three times.

No answer.

He waited a few more minutes before he tried knocking again.

Still no answer.

"Well, this is ridiculous. He's obviously not home." I said.

Edward sighed, "Yeah, we'll have to come back tomorrow, see if we can't catch him at a better time." He started walking back down the steps.

"That's it?" I said, taking a double take from him to the door, "We just drove almost an hour to get here. And now we're just going to leave?"

"What do you want me to do? He's technically not even a suspect, just a name that was thrown out by a criminal as a last ditch effort to take the blame off of him." Edward said.

"Why don't we just take a quick look inside? We can rule him out as a suspect and we won't have to come back tomorrow." I said, really just wanting to get it over with. I pulled out a hairpin a set to work.

"We don't have any probable cause, Scarlet." He said, climbing up the steps again.

I heard the lock click and swung the door open, stepping across the threshold and onto the burgundy carpet.

"Scarlet, stop. We can't just break into people's homes, we're the FBI- we don't do that."

"No, _you're_ the FBI. I'm just a consultant. Go wait in the car if you're worried." I said, taking in the entryway and all that it held.

I smiled to myself when I heard him curse and follow me inside, closing the door behind him.

"Five minutes. No more. Then we turn around and head back to the bureau so I can prosecute my prime suspect." He said, looking around as well.

"Mmmhhmm." I responded absentmindedly, stepping further inside.

I wandered aimlessly into what I found to be the living room, taking in the man's taste in furniture and art. Not that there was much.

I turned around to say something to Edward, but he wasn't there. Probably deciding to head down the other hallway and explore a different part of the house.

I shrugged to myself and continued my personal tour.

I wandered from room to room quickly, finding nothing of interest in any of his linen closets or bathrooms.

I opened another door off one of the hallways, expecting to find another toilet or pile of towels but found something else.

I stepped into the room, recognizing the sound of hardwood floor as my shoes made contact. I flicked on the light switch.

"Oh."

I stopped short as my eyes took in the four canvases laid out on work tables.

My gaze swept from side to side, my eyes wide as I took in the millions of dollars worth of priceless art.

I stepped closer to the tables to make sure that what I was looking at was what I thought it was and not just a hallucination that was coming from my exhausted mind.

I leaned over the table, letting my eyes wander over the entire painting. The edges were torn, the appropriate thing to find when a painting has been cut straight from the frame.

'_Definitely not a hallucination.'_

I had to go tell Edward. I turned to yell to him, but the words died on my lips.

The man standing in the doorway was not Edward.

I froze. This probably didn't look good.

"How did you get in here?" He asked, stepping into the room, but blocking the door.

I took an automatic step back and bumped into the table, "Through the door."

He did not seem to appreciate my response and took another step inside. It was then that I realized how large he was, at least two heads taller with broad shoulders. I swallowed hard.

"Okay, why don't we try a different question. Who are you?" He asked, continuing to walk towards me.

I navigated backwards, trying to see some way around him but not finding one.

"Ummm…I'm with the FBI." I said, no other answers coming to mind that would have been better.

I was hoping that this was a man who was afraid of authority and would surrender immediately if he was caught.

He wasn't.

"Strange. There's no one else here. Doesn't the FBI usually travel in groups?" He asked, a smile on his face that I didn't like as he continued to approach me.

I blinked slowly, working hard to keep my mind working quickly, but struggling.

I put a hand to my forehead when I stumbled into another table, trying to keep my mind clear and start strategizing.

"See, I don't think you're with the FBI." He continued, seeming to sense my fatigue and relish it, "I think you just saw something you shouldn't have and thought you could come here for proof."

He was now within two feet of me and I was out of space to move, my back was pressed against the wall.

'_Think, think, think you idiot!'_

He lunged for me.

'_No more time to think!'_ I thought as I dodged his outstretched arms and ran past him, heading for the door.

I didn't make it two steps before he got a grip on my hair and pulled me back quickly, completely throwing off my currently poor sense of balance and leading me to slam on the floor on my back, the wind knocked out of me and my eyesight fuzzy.

My instincts were intact enough for my body to know to roll out of the way of his foot as he tried to kick me in the abdomen. I had gotten enough experience in previous fights to know that I needed to get up.

I rolled and kicked the back of his right knee, collapsing the joint and giving me time to push myself off the floor and get my fists up.

He threw his right fist at me and I redirected it past my torso.

What he lacked in fighting technique he made up for in anger, which could often prove to be more dangerous.

I stumbled when I jumped back to dodge one of his fists, nearly falling again but catching myself at the last second.

I shook my head, trying to clear the haze that had been there for a majority of the day. My breathing was shallow; I wasn't doing very well, something even I recognized.

It wasn't just fatigue that was causing this.

I took as deep a breath as I could and raised my fists again, trying to form any kind of strategy.

I managed to make contact with his body once, but when I tried for a follow up he seemed to realize what I was doing and gripped my arm mid-swing.

I went into defensive mode, moving my body in an attempt to bend his wrist using his own arm for leverage.

I turned my back to him and bent my arm, using the proper technique that was engrained into my muscles.

I turned back to face him in order to add the final pressure that would leave him with the option of letting go of my arm or breaking his own wrist, but when my eyes met his face I froze in terror.

It was Jacob that was gripping my arm like a vice. Jacob's face that was contracted in anger, livid with the intention of causing pain.

I was frozen, my muscles seized by a fear that wouldn't release me.

I was no longer in the workroom with the hardwood floors in a home just outside of Chicago; I was in Seattle, standing in the hall of that museum. That museum where I saw that exact form of rage on Jacob's face. Except this time I couldn't run away.

I was ripped from my past when I felt a pain in my arm and my body was thrown to the floor.

He threw his weight on top of me before I could move, his knee digging into the space just below my shoulder as his hands came to clasp around my throat, silencing the cry I was about to release.

I clawed desperately at his hands, trying to pull his wrist back to release the pressure blocking my airway. My left arm was trapped under my own weight, bent behind me back at an angle that was uncomfortable but not a main concern for me at the moment.

I struggled and attempted to roll him off of me, but his weight was substantial enough that I made no headway. I dug my nails into his skin, but his hand continued to retain its grip.

Black dots were beginning to form in my vision as I continued to fail to intake oxygen. The pressure on my throat just increased.

After moments that seemed eternal, I felt the strength begin to seep out of me as I made last futile attempts to pry his fingers loose from my throat.

My vision was almost completely coated in black as my hand slipped futilely to the floor.

And then it was gone.

In one flash moment, the pressure that was literally suffocating me was ripped away.

I sucked air in desperately, rolling and coughing simultaneously at the raw feeling in my throat. I continued to gasp lungfuls of oxygen into my body, trying to replenish it and take away the ache.

When the room stopped spinning enough I rolled my head and saw Edward handcuffing my assailant.

I closed my eyes as a wave of exhaustion hit me, and I tried to concentrate on breathing in air as I lay my head down on the cool floor. I just wanted to focus on staying exactly where I was.

I wasn't sure how long I had been lying there, but at some point there was a lot more noise.

I heard footsteps and felt his proximity. Opening my eyes I saw that Edward's were full of concern and worry as he waved over a paramedic who had arrived at some point with officers.

'_I must have been lying here for longer than I thought.'_

"I'm fine." I croaked out, attempting to sit up.

My assurances went unheard as they went down their medical checklist. After a while, when my head was clearer, I touched the skin on my neck gingerly, wincing at how tender it was. Edward saw what I was doing and seemed to feel my pain.

After making sure for the third time that I wasn't brain dead, the EMT cleared me and recommended pain killers. A suggestion that I would definitely adhere to.

When he finally got up and left, I turned to find Edward looking at me. "Thank you." I said, clearing my throat, "For saving me."

His smile was sad, telling me that he wished there wasn't a reason for me to thank him.

"What happened?" He asked, referring to the fact that I had let an assailant get the upper hand during a fight.

I shrugged and immediately winced at the pain.

"I was distracted." I said, willing my mind not to go there.

He looked at me for a second, "You don't get distracted during fights. What's really on your mind?"

An image of Jacob flashed to the forefront of my mind involuntarily. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to get rid of it.

Upon opening them once more I looked at Edward, his eyes were honest, open, forgiving, understanding.

I wanted to tell him about Jacob. About my parents. About everything. I opened my mouth and said,

"I guess I was just tired."

* * *

**A/N: I tried to put a lot of action into this chapter since the previous one didn't have much. You all know how much I love reviews and if you're looking for something to write about you can tell me what you thought of that last scene. Or, if you would prefer to continue to copy and paste a smiley face from below, I am more than happy to receive those too. **

**:) or :( or :P or ;D or :{D**


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT **

**

* * *

**

**BPOV**

I cupped lukewarm water in my hands and splashed it onto my face, squeezing my eyes shut as droplets trickled down my cheeks.

Placing my hands on the sides of the sink, I stared at my bedraggled reflection in the mirror and cringed.

With tentative fingers I gently touched the purple bruised skin on my neck, the only remaining evidence of the previous day's struggle.

I winced at how tender the skin was. I took in a large breath and let it out in a 'whoosh'.

'_What am I doing?' _My mind asked itself.

But I got no answer.

I didn't have one.

I had absolutely no idea what I was doing anymore. I was supposed to get in, get out, move on. '_It was never supposed to get this complicated.'_

I was angry at myself. I had spent years purposely building up a wall to prevent myself from getting into this type of situation again.

My fingers were gripping the sides of the sink so hard that when I pulled them away I had to flex them to get blood flowing.

A soft knock at the door returned me to reality.

"Are you alright?" Edward's muffled voice asked me through the door. Concerned as always.

I blew the stray hairs out my face with huff and cleared my throat, "I'm fine. I'll be out in a minute."

I heard his soft footsteps retreating and wiped the water from my. Taking one last hard look in the mirror I turned and left.

* * *

**EPOV**

Something was wrong with Scarlet. More than what could be accounted for by almost dying.

'_Almost dying.'_ My mind echoed and I placed a hand to my forehead as the images rushed back to me.

Running into that room and seeing her just lying there. The mixture of fear and anger propelling my forward until I knocked him off of her and had him pinned under me.

I could have killed him. I wanted to kill him. Instead I handcuffed him and called the paramedics for Scarlet, concern for her outweighing my hatred for him.

I shook my head, trying to disperse the images.

The enormity of that fear that I had felt made me grasp how deep my feelings ran for her. I was falling hard, and it took me up until yesterday to fully grasp that.

I heard a door opening down the hall followed by her soft footsteps as she walked in my direction. I looked up at her from where I sat on the couch and sent her a smile as I stood up. The one she tried to sent me back made it seem as if she was one blow away from falling apart.

I gripped her shoulders and searched her eyes, looking for the source of her hurt but only finding the cover she put up.

I leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her lips, hearing and feeling her sigh into me.

My phone rang.

"Ignore that." I said.

She smiled against my lips, "You should answer that. It could be important"

I sighed and gave her one more chaste kiss before turning and grabbing the phone and answering with reluctance.

* * *

**BPOV**

Hours later I sloshed the remaining inch of ice cold coffee around in my cup, wondering if they would let me go in search of a shop for fresh coffee.

The rest of them probably would, but I couldn't see Edward letting me out of his sight after the incident the other night.

I put my cup down on the corner of the desk that wasn't covered in papers. I watched Edward as he scribbled in his messy scrawl, trying to tackle the insurmountable amount of paperwork that he was doing after wrapping up the case.

My eyes traced over him, from the stubble on his chin to the disarray of his hair, the aftereffect of him running his hands through it. As if he heard my thoughts, his hand ran through it once more as he read over what he had just written. Signing his name at the bottom with a flourish he pulled another sheet toward him to repeat the entire process.

After a few scribbles he paused, and without looking up said, "Is there a reason you're staring at me?" A hint of a smile dangling on his lips.

"What can I say; you're fun to stare at." I said with a small smile of my own as I propped my head up with my hand.

He glanced up at me then, the deep green of his eyes making my stomach clench. He smirked as if he knew exactly what I was thinking about, before dropping his eyes and writing with a new intensity.

'_I'm going to miss those eyes.'_ I thought to myself, overcome with a wave of sadness that caused the smile to fade from my lips.

I had realized at some point that day that the time was slowly coming to an end where I could pretend and be there on false purposes.

I had already stayed too long as it was. Between my attachment to Edward, and the fact that Jacob was somewhere out there, it was time for me to do what I always did: get what I needed and move on.

But the more I sat in that chair, looking at the man across the desk, the more I realized that my initial plan to get what I needed wasn't going to work. I didn't think that I could involve him and use him any more than I already had. I couldn't do that to him anymore.

As I watched him, a stray strand of hair fell in front of his eyes, he ran a hand through his hair once more, causing parts of it stand straight up.

He looked up again as I tried to cover my smile.

* * *

The sky was dark when Edward unlocked the door to his apartment.

"Are you hungry?" He asked over his shoulder, "We could still go out, or I could order something in?"

I closed the door behind me with an audible 'click'.

I slid my coat off quickly and strode towards him with a purpose. He turned around as he heard me approach, "Or I can-"

But I quickly cut him off by wrapping my arms behind his neck and pulling him down to me, covering his mouth in a searing kiss.

He mumbled something but didn't seem to mind my actions as he readily kissed me back; wrapping his hands around my waist and pulling me closer.

We stumbled in the direction of the bedroom, taking familiar steps and being careful to avoid bumping into anything that could break.

Eventually we made it into the bedroom, Edward's jacket and both of our shoes lying on the floor behind us.

I tackled him onto the bed, my leg straddling his waist as I kissed him again, gripping his face on either side.

'_god I'm going to miss these lips.'_ I thought to myself, my hands trailing down to begin unbuttoning his shirt with practiced fingers.

I was only a button away from my goal when I felt him grip me around the waist and roll so that I was pinned beneath him.

His fingers continued to grip my hips as his emerald eyes peered down at me. I reached a hand out to rub my thumb along his jaw, feeling the short bristles under my fingers.

"You okay?" He asked, worry lining his brow.

"Yeah." I said, producing a smile for his benefit, "Of course."

After a moment of hesitation he ran his lips lightly across mine, leaving them tingling in anticipation.

* * *

Soft morning light was streaming in through the small window when I blinked awake.

Edward was lying beside me, still in a deep sleep, breathing even breaths. His arm was thrown across my waist haphazardly.

I sighed as I stared at his restful state, my hand smoothing his hair back from his forehead.

I would have been lying to myself if I said I didn't want to leave. But I didn't have a choice if I wanted to get what I came for.

The silence was broken by the shrill sound of his cellphone, causing his eyes to open sleepily.

He smiled at me and I realized my hand was still touching his face, I pulled it back.

His phone rang once more and he grumbled, shifting so that he could grab it from the nightstand behind him.

Flipping it open, he said, "Cullen", though his eyes continued to stay transfixed on me.

"Alright. Sure. 6th Street? We'll meet you there." He closed the phone with a 'snap' but continued to look at me.

"Case?" I asked. He nodded but neither of us made any inclination to move.

A few moments passed where we just continued to lay there.

"We should probably get moving." I said.

"Probably." He said, a trace of humor as we continued to lie there. "How 'bout this. I'll go start on the coffee, you can get in the shower, and I'll join you soon."

"If you join me, you know that we won't be getting out of here anytime soon." I said with a laugh.

"I can behave myself." He said with a smile that held so many meanings.

I stood, letting the silk sheet cascade to the bed behind me as I strode out of the room, very aware of his eyes following me, "We'll see".

* * *

In a longer amount of time than was obviously necessary, Edward and I finally managed to get our stuff together and head over to the crime scene.

"You two get lost on your way over here?" Was Jasper's way of greeting us as he opened the front door for us with a roll of the eyes.

"As a matter of fact-we did." Edward said without hesitation, though his eyes were on me when he said it.

I pretended not to see him. '_I probably shouldn't have done that last night…or this morning.'_

It was selfish, when in the end I was just going to leave. '_The sooner I'm gone, the_ _better.'_ I thought, glancing at Edward, _'Less chance of convincing myself to stay.'_

We continued to walk through the marble lobby of the museum, making our way to the specific gallery where our presence was needed.

The room was filled with a variety of FBI agents and Crime Scene Unit workers, carefully dusting for fingerprints that they may never find.

Jasper led us over to one of the glass cases just to the left of the center of the exhibit that used to hold a large ruby. Except, unlike every other glass container in the room, this one was empty, filled with nothing but air. I unconsciously kept my eyes on Edward as he circled the glass case.

"No alarms were triggered, but they believe it happened very early this morning. The guard that was on duty was beaten to unconsciousness; he's at the hospital getting stitches right now." Jasper said, "When he wakes up we'll see what he remembers."

"Have they found any fingerprints yet?" Edward asked, a tone in his voice that told me he doubted it.

Jasper just shook his head, confirming Edward's assumption.

After a while of looking for things that weren't there, they started to focus on trying to figure out how the person got in and out of the museum.

I stared at Edward and Jasper, realizing this was probably going to be the last case I helped on before I left.

That same sad feeling that overcame me yesterday suddenly threatened to overwhelm me and I fought to ignore it. Staring at Edward wasn't helping.

"Have any ideas Scarlet?" Edward asked, glancing up at me suddenly, catching me off guard.

I cleared my throat and looked around, "Well, if the alarms on the doors weren't triggered, then that means they either had a keycard, or they found some other way to enter. My guess is the latter."

He nodded in agreement and turned to the guy assisting us from the museum, "Any emergency exits or anything else that could be the source of entry?"

He shifted from foot to foot as he thought of possible answers, "Well, our emergency exits aren't accessible from the outside, but we have a restoration room below us that has access to the drop off garage in the back."

"Alright, we'll go take a look." Edward said, coming around to walk beside me as we followed the man to the elevators.

"You haven't been saying much." Edward whispered to me.

I shrugged, "Sorry, I've been distracted."

"Well, whoever did this was very good. Absolutely no prints or signs of forced entry. I would say it was an inside job, but each employee has a specific keycard with an identification number that would allow us to know whose card it was. But the system has no record of any keycard being used. This isn't going to be an easy case."

"Sounds like something I did." I said, trying to resume my usual attitude.

He chuckled, "Well, then we need your help more than ever on this one." He said as the metal doors slid shut.

* * *

**EPOV**

It was nearly dark out when I stepped off the elevator on the correct floor of the FBI building.

I had dropped Scarlet off near our apartment building. It had taken nearly a half an hour for her to convince me that she did not need an armed escort to grab dinner for us and then head to the apartment while I dropped off some paperwork.

I still wasn't happy about it, but I realized that the sooner I got rid of the paperwork, the sooner I could get back to her. With that thought in mind I quickened my stride toward the correct office and dumped a few selected papers in the correct box before throwing the rest in another.

I was only a few steps from the elevator when I heard Aro, "Edward, can I speak to you in my office for a minute."

I glanced at the elevator again before letting out a sigh of reluctance as I made my way to his office.

I cleared my throat as I stood there, hesitating in the doorway momentarily before he waved me inside.

He shuffled some papers and looked up at me, a calculating look on his face.

I swallowed hard in the uncomfortable silence, shifting from foot to foot as I awaited whatever he was about to say.

"Edward, can you account for your consultant's whereabouts last night?" He asked.

"Excuse me?" I asked, not understanding what he was getting at.

"Your criminal tag-along, Scarlet. Can you definitively tell me her location between 10:00 PM and 2:00 AM last night?" He asked.

Words seemed to stick in my throat as multiple thoughts competed for the forefront of my mind. "Sir I- I'm not sure- what do you-"

His tone was angry now, "Agent Cullen, we have strong proof that your consultant, Scarlet, was the very person who committed the robbery last night that you yourself are currently investigating."

"What proof? What are you talking about?" I asked, my thoughts began to run wilder.

He handed me a paper across the table, my eyes scanned over it quickly.

On it was a log of an ankle tracker, including the time, location, and identification. The number that was on it was Scarlet's and the location was the museum we were at this morning. But the time…

The time read just a little bit after eleven o'clock. _'That's not possible! She was with me…we were…'_

Somebody was setting her up, and whoever it was had no idea that we were together most nights. It had to be someone in the FBI, someone who could mess with the data that recorded her tracking anklet.

I was crinkling the paper in my hand, my grip was so tight.

I had two options. I could admit that she was with me last night, which would end with my immediate dismissal from the FBI and she would go back to jail for the remainder of her sentence, allowing the person responsible to get away with it.

Or, I could lie. If I were to say that I didn't know where she was last night, she would be taken into custody, but I would still have my job, and the resources I would need to find out who did this, and clear her name.

Just saying that I was with her last night without admitting to anything, would arouse suspicion. What else could we be possibly doing during the early hours of the morning?

All of these thoughts went through my head in a matter of seconds as I stared at the piece of paper in my hands. Neither decision was appealing, but I knew which one I was going to have to make.

"I can't believe this." My voice was grave, "I can't believe she did this."

"I know you didn't get along with her for a while, but did you notice anything else that could lead us to believe that she's responsible for more than just this." He said.

I didn't want to make them think she committed other crimes, but I was going to have to misdirect this away from anything about us being together. The harsher I was, the more likely they'd let me be part of the group that looked into it. Which meant I would be more likely to run into the person behind all this.

"How am I supposed to know, everything she does looks like a crime to me. I'm surprised it took her this long to go back to being a thief." My tone was angry enough, but I had to clear my throat to cover a tremor at the end.

He just looked at me, seeming to be waiting to see if I was going to say anything else.

"I don't know why you let her out of jail in the first place! She's a criminal, nothing is ever going to change that."

I was starting to feel sick to my stomach.

"So, you're willing to help us? We're not sure if she's on to us, but if she is, I'm sure she's already planned her escape. We don't know what she's likely to do in retaliation. The guard at the museum was badly beaten; she may have decided to escalate to something more extreme. It could end badly if we don't tread carefully." He said, standing and dialing something on his phone.

I felt some of the blood drain from my face. If they thought she was dangerous…something told me that it wouldn't be for the FBI that things would turn out badly.

'_Oh my god, I have to go warn her. If she tries to run…oh my god.'_

I swallowed dryly. "Sir, let me go try and bring her in first. She may listen to me, less chance of someone getting hurt."

He paused, looking up at me as he held the phone to his ear.

"Very well, but if you can't do it quickly, we'll have no choice." He said, hanging up his phone.

I didn't hesitate another second before sprinting out of the room, the thought of not being able to convince her making panic course through my system as my mind produced images of how that would turn out.

* * *

**BPOV**

I juggled the bag of food while I sifted through the minimal amount of keys I had, my attempt to rush only ended up with them landing on the ground.

I let out a grumble of frustration and crouched to get them, attempting to wipe off the grime as I stood back up.

I was at wits end. I had come to the conclusion that I was going to have to leave within the next few days, as soon as I put my plan in motion I was going to have to make a run for it.

I really didn't have much choice if I was going to get what I came for.

I had just grabbed the correct key and inserted into the lock when a gloved hand covered my mouth.

I dropped the bag of food as my first instinct of panic kicked in and I threw my elbow back, but my assailant must have been expecting it because they gripped my arm and bent it backwards at a painful angle.

It was as I continued to struggle that I realized that it wasn't a glove covering my mouth, but a piece of cloth. My confusion battled with my aggression as I kept trying to turn, but the arm that was gripping my elbow was adding pressure to a joint, preventing me from doing it without dislocating my arm. A sweet smell met my senses as I inhaled slightly and tried to kick back but missed wildly.

'_Wait. Sweet? I know that smell…'_ I thought, trying to sort my thoughts that suddenly felt muffled.

My eyelids began to feel extraordinarily heavy. My body soon followed and I felt like I was trying to move through water.

And then it hit me.

'_Chloroform'_ I thought as my body went limp and darkness invaded every corner of my vision.

'_Damn'_

_

* * *

_

**A/N: I know it has been a very long time between updates and I apologize for the delay. For those of you who are still out there, I would love to know what you thought of this chapter and if you guys have any guesses/predictions about the next one. But, if you would rather copy and paste a smiley face from below, I am more than happy to receive those as well.**

**:) or :( or :P or ;D or :{D**


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT **

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* * *

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**BPOV**

The regaining of consciousness came with a mixture of things.

The first and most prominent one was the throbbing headache that seemed to echo and rebound in every crevice of my mind.

Accompanying that, were what felt like scrapes on my elbows that result from skin and concrete meeting unceremoniously. Which meant the person responsible for my predicament let me fall after knocking me out.

' _Bastard.'_

I let my annoyance dissipate for the moment; it would be no help to me. After a few slow breaths I continued to try and figure out my surroundings. I listened for a few moments, but as far as I could tell, I was alone.

There was a blindfold tied around my eyes, giving me absolutely no visibility. And to top it all off, my hands were bound behind my back with what felt like plastic zip ties.

'_Well, at least it's not duct tape. That stuff hurts like hell to take off.'_

I tested the strength of the ties; they didn't budge in the slightest. That immediately crossed out the idea of slipping out of them. No, I was going to have to break through them.

Plastic zip ties are made of sturdy nylon tape that is effective in the fact that the more you pull on it, the tighter they get.

I flexed my fingers and felt around for what I was sitting on. Cool metal met my fingertips.

I shifted so that the metal bar from the top of the chair was perpendicular to the zip tie.

I leaned up as high as possible, stretching my arms up and behind my back as far as I could before bringing them down with as much force as I could muster. I grumbled and bit my tongue when I hit my hand more than the ties, something that would definitely be a bruise later.

'_Damn blindfold.'_

I took a deep breath, gathering determination and brought the tie down once more, smiling when I heard the loud 'snap' followed by the sweet release of my hands.

With no hesitation I reached up and ripped the blindfold from my in front of my eyes and stood up from the chair.

My head whipped from side to side, seeking a door, window, or any other thing that could serve as an exit.

I had only taken a step when a voice behind me caused me to spin around.

"That only took you a few minutes. I told them they shouldn't have bothered."

"Jacob." I seethed. My eyes were narrowed to dangerous slits as I glared at him.

He was leaning in the doorway, looking at me with the same smile he always gave me.

I swallowed, controlling the urge to beat the crap out of him.

A few moments of tense silence passed while I continued to size him up and run through my options.

"Why?" I asked, rubbing my wrist where the binds had chaffed.

His smile dropped a little bit and he pushed himself off the wall, taking a few steps toward me. I took a few steps back.

"I needed to talk to you away from your FBI shadow, and I knew after our history you wouldn't take meeting me lightly."

My brow constricted at what he said, and then something clicked. I looked down at my ankle, and just as I guessed, there was no tracking anklet to be seen. I was absolutely alone. I tried not to let that bother me.

"So why the chloroform, blindfold, and zip ties?" I asked, trying to keep things going.

He chuckled a little, "Sorry, it's the new guys I'm working with. I tried to convince them that the zip ties were pointless, and the blindfold was unnecessary because of the chloroform. They knew enough about you to believe that if you woke up early that someone was bound to end up hurt if you could see and have your hands free." He ended his line with a headshake of exasperation.

"So it was your idea to drug me and drag me to god knows where against my will?" I asked, mildly surprised even though I knew I shouldn't have been.

He shrugged, his eyes downcast. "Like I said, I needed to talk to you and there was no other way that I could think of to get you here without holding you at gunpoint; and I think we both know that you could have easily gotten yourself out of a situation like that."

When I continued to stare at him menacingly he gave me a soft smile, "I'm sorry. I know you don't trust me, I'm trying to show that I'm a lot different from the last time we saw each other." He cleared his throat, "Prison gave me a lot of time to think."

I crossed my arms in front of me, impassive and unbelieving.

"Look, you can at least believe me when I say that I'm not holding you hostage. If I was, I would have given you something stronger than chloroform and would have done a better job tying you up." He said, that same smile back on his face as if he expected me to laugh or smile in return.

There were a few more moments of silence from me until I succeeded in making the smile slide from his face.

He sighed, "Come on, sit down. We need to talk and this is as good as any place to do it." He said with a grim face, pulling a fold-out chair that was leaning against the wall and placing it to face the once I had previously vacated. The chair scraped against the cement as he sat down, and he looked at me expectantly. Without taking my eyes off of him I sank into the metal chair.

He leaned forward, placing his forearms on his knees and clasping his hands together. His look was somber while mine continued to retain its suspicion.

"I think I know why you're here. In Chicago I mean." He said.

I raised an eyebrow in response, not willing to give anything away until I knew how much he knew.

"This is where it happened, so this is where they must have the records." He said, his expression understanding. For a moment I saw a similar expression in his face that appeared to be taken from when we were younger, when things were less complicated.

He leaned back in his chair, "Alright, I'm just going to try and sort through all this, you just stop me if I get something wrong, alright?"

When I didn't respond he started talking again.

"You moved here a while ago and started doing what you do best. Hopping from museum to museum, not forgetting private collections either. Then someone in the FBI comes along and begins to catch on.

He's smarter than most of them, so it didn't take him long to track you down and corner you. You were essentially trapped, you could have easily run, but something made you stay. You saw an opportunity; you were hoping that he would give you the access you needed to get what you wanted most.

So you let yourself get caught. Somehow you were able to convince them not to send you to jail, and to let you tag along with the very agent who was hunting you." He said, obviously having done his research.

"You haven't interrupted me yet so I'm going to assume that I'm on the right track." He said, clearing his throat after a pause.

"Your plan was perfect, no one knew about your history, so no one saw any reason to suspect you of wanting to steal files from their evidence room.

But what I want to know is, what happened? If everything went like I expect you planned, you should have had the file in your hands and been on another continent by now." He concluded, staring at me expectantly.

I let out a deep breath, the first real movement since we started talking. _'What __**did**__ happen?'_ I thought to myself.

'_Oh right. Edward happened.'_

Without recalling them, memories from the last few months began flooding into my mind.

He must have seen something in my eyes, "You feel something for him don't you?"

My head whipped up to look at him, "Excuse me?"

His expression was still solemn as he stared at me, "Face it, if this was any other guy or situation you would have been in and out, gone before any emotions could come into play." He said, looking at me as if he expected an answer.

He sighed again, "Look, I brought you here because I did some digging. And the stuff I found…I think you should hear it. That agent that you're so fond of, Cullen, he's not as good a guy as you seem to think he is."

I stared at him as I waited for him to elaborate, ready to contradict the lie he was about to tell me.

"He's been using you. He wants you back in jail, you shouldn't trust him." He said.

I scoffed, "If there's anyone I shouldn't trust, it's the person sitting in front of me who drugged me. Why should I believe a word you-"

He silenced me by holding up a finger and pulling something out of his pocket. A tape recorder.

He pressed play.

"Jake, whatever is on that tape is not going to convince-"

"_I can't believe this. I can't believe she did this."_

I froze, my eyes glued to the tape recorder. That was Edward's voice.

_"I know you didn't get along with her for a while, but did you notice anything else that could lead us to believe that she's responsible for more than just this."_

And that was Aro…

_"How am I supposed to know, everything she does looks like a crime to me. I'm surprised it took her this long to go back to being a thief." _

A picture of Edward's face drawn up in anger rose in my mind. A nauseating feeling was creeping through my abdomen, my breath felt like it was being ripped from my lungs.

_"I don't know why you let her out of jail in the first place! She's a criminal, nothing is ever going to change that."_

I continued to stare at the tape long after the recording finished. Thoughts buzzing through my mind at an alarming speed.

The nausea I was feeling seemed to spread further until the urge to throw-up was barely containable, and my head was throbbing more than ever.

The feeling was worse than any beating I had ever received and it was soon that I realized what it was.

Betrayal.

I tried to swallow, but the dryness in my throat just made it feel like I'd swallowed a piece of sandpaper.

"What are they talking about?" I asked. My voice raspy, looking up, my eyes wide and brimming with unshed tears.

"You. Aro believes that you were responsible for the theft of the jewels taken from the museum the other night. And apparently, Edward does too." He said, observing my reaction."I got that recording last night, when he went back to the office. It started out with Aro asking Edward for your alibi from the night of the robbery."

'_But I was with him that night…we were…why would he do that?'_

I pressed my fingertips to my temple, trying to soothe the never-ending pounding and confusion that was attempting to consume me.

His voice echoed in my head, _"I don't know why you let her out of jail in the first place! She's a criminal, nothing is ever going to change that."_

He'd said the same thing to me once before, apparently the idea never really left him.

I felt tricked, taken advantage of, fooled, whatever you wanted to call it. But above all that, I felt angry.

I stared at the spot in which the tape-recorder previously sat. I blinked back the tears that had previously threatened the spill over, now was not the time to dwell on my stupidity.

"I want to help you. You need that file more than anything else in the world and now that your first plan is gone you need to initiate another. If I'm going to help you we need to act now. There is a very small time frame in which we can do it, so I need to know now."

I could feel every muscle in my body clench.

"Think about what he did to you. You thought he cared about you and look at what he said. He was ready to throw you under a bus at a moments notice. Think about what this will do to him if we're successful. He thinks he's got you all figured out, you need to show him that that's not true."

"_She's a criminal, nothing is ever going to change that."_

"So, are you with me?" Jacob asked.

I raised my eyes to look at him, my muscles clenched further, a dangerous spark in my eyes.

"Yeah. I'm with you."

* * *

**EPOV**

I was sitting on the concrete steps to my apartment with my head in my hands, completely at a loss.

"Agent Cullen, they need your help inside."

I raised my head to look at the CSU worker who had been searching the outside for evidence. I nodded and stood up, trudging up the stairs.

I had been there for almost seven hours, my lack of sleep was openly apparent and my movements were sluggish as a result.

As I continued to walk up the stairs I thought over the night before.

Immediately after talking to Aro I had raced home, needing to explain what was happening to Scarlet.

My plan was to convince her to come in, and then I would find proof that someone had messed with her tracking anklet and clear her name. I was going to explain to her that I cared about her and that she would need to trust me in order for everything to work out.

I had expected to say all of that, I never expected her to be gone when I got there.

When I had arrived at the apartment building, I had found her tracking anklet on the ground, the band that would have wrapped around her ankle completely severed.

Beside that was a small bag of food that I assume was the dinner she had picked up for the two of us.

Several police cruisers appeared not long after I did, responding to the alarm from her anklet going off. And soon after them came the federal agents, ready to jump to conclusions. After a quick glance, they surmised that she had somehow caught wind of the fact that she was suspected for the robbery, cut her anklet and made a run for it.

I didn't know what to think.

I thought I knew her well enough to believe that she wouldn't just take off like this. She must know, if in fact she was aware of the accusations and evidence against her, that running would just prove them right.

I knew that she was innocent; apparently that wasn't enough for her. I guess she didn't believe that I would be able to protect her from being wrongly accused.

But there was one particular question that appeared to be on everyone's mind.

'_Where is she?'_

_

* * *

_

**BPOV**

My mind was set firmly on determination. It was as if a flip had been switched somewhere in the crevices of my mind that was now causing me to propel one foot forward after the other as I strode behind Jacob.

We had spent the afternoon pouring over blueprints and plans, he told me the planned route and I would occasionally give insight when I saw a possible snag. He would ask me questions about specific sections of the building, and I would try my best to give accurate responses from what I had picked up during my time at the bureau.

Darkness was settling on the horizon as I continued to follow him down the hallway.

"So you know what the plan is already." He said over his shoulder to me, "But I need to know that you're willing to let me call the shots on this one."

He looked back at me and I nodded in affirmation.

"Good." He said, swinging open the door we had finally reached and striding through.

"Evening boys." He called out, "I believe you are acquainted with Miss Scarlet. Scarlet, these are the boys." Jacob said, gesturing with his hand to three muscular guys lounging in the room.

I nodded at them in greeting, my gaze cold and unfeeling.

I was numb to the core. If I hadn't been, an alarm of sorts would have gone off in my head when I saw Jacob tucking a gun into his belt. Instead, I just looked the other way.

"Alright, we all know the plan. The key to it is to be fast, we're in and out before they know what hit them." Jacob said, looking primarily at me.

He sent me a smile but I didn't reciprocate it. I found that it was easier to do this by feeling nothing; I learned the hard way that emotions put you at risk. I wasn't going to let myself be the made the fool again.

"Ready?" Jacob asked.

I nodded, "Ready."

We split our team up, the three others in one car and Jacob and I slid into a Mercedes that was as dark as midnight.

The engine purred as he pulled out of the garage, the tires squealing against the pavement.

I let my mind go blank for the car ride, afraid of where it might go to if I didn't. Every few minutes I would notice that my hands were clenched into tight fists and I would have to stretch my fingers.

"How are you feeling?" Jacob asked, breaking the silence.

I shrugged and kept my eyes straight ahead of me, "Looking forward to finally getting what I need."

He nodded in understanding.

The remainder of the ride was filled with silence, both of us set in concentration for what awaited us.

We parked in a lot across the street and a block down and walked the remainder of the distance to the building.

We stood for a moment outside the glass doors, "Remember the plan and everything will run smoothly." He said to me.

I nodded once, "I'm finishing this regardless of how smooth things go."

"Alright, then let's go." He said, pushing open the doors and striding inside with me close behind.

We strode across the marble entryway; the security guard sitting at the desk rose and began to approach us.

"Excuse me, you're going to need to show badges and identification-"

He was cut off when we reached him by Jacob's fist meeting his right temple with a sickening force.

The man fell to the ground unconscious and Jacob quickly dragged him behind the desk. I remained vigilant for anyone that could have seen.

Jacob looked to me and I nodded. All clear.

He swiped the security access card from the guard and we headed for the elevator.

"Cameras?" I asked.

"The others already took care of it." He said without looking at me as the doors slid open and we got on. He slid the security card where it asked for it and pressed the button for the basement level.

The ride was filled with absolute silence, only sounds of the elevator met my ears.

The elevator came to a stop a few floors early. Jacob and I shared a look and readied ourselves. The doors slid open and revealed a man checking trying to check his watch while balancing a box of files.

"Here, let me help." Jake said, stepping forward and acting as if to take the box from him.

"Thanks, I appreciate it-" The man got out before Jacob kicked his knees out from under him. Unlike the guard, this one didn't go down easy.

He threw a few punches on his way down, hitting Jacob on the jaw, causing him to stumble slightly. I had to look away from Jacob's next few punches which weren't restrained in the least.

I swallowed, willing myself to detach my mind from the situation. This was the only way to get what I needed.

Jacob dragged him into a closet quickly before another late-night worker found us.

"I could have used your help there." He said, slightly out of breath as he massaged his jaw.

I didn't respond.

He punched the button for the elevator with more force than necessary, the muscles in his arms flexing.

After a tense ride down, we finally reached the basement. Once the elevator doors slid open I noticed the three other guys waiting patiently for us.

"How did they get down here?" I asked, truly curious.

"They entered the building through the back entrance loading docks in order to get access to the security room to knock out the cameras." He responded as we walked down the concrete hall toward them. "Also, I needed them to pick someone up for us."

It was only when we reached them that I noticed there was an extra person to the party. He was slumped against the wall, nursing a bruised cheek.

"Alright, go." Jacob said to the three guys. Without a word they took a keycard they had picked up somewhere and disappeared into the elevator, off to prepare our getaway.

The man slumped against the wall watched all of it pass in silence, his eyes cautious and suspicious all at once.

Once the sound of the elevator was a distant whirr, Jacob turned to the man.

"Open it." He ordered, gesturing to the door.

The man didn't move, his eyes slid to me.

Jake must have been getting exasperated because he sighed and pulled the gun from his belt and pointed it at the man whose eyes were immediately drawn to it.

"That was not a suggestion. Open. The. Door." He repeated.

I stared at the gun as well, my throat going dry.

There was that same tiny alarm ringing somewhere in the back of my mind. Trying to remind me that this wasn't right, I had a strict no-gun policy, guns always added unnecessary complications to things. So why was I letting Jacob do this?

"_She's a criminal, nothing is ever going to change that."_

That's why.

I took a deep breath and silenced the alarm going off in my mind, my eyes set in determination once again. I let all the anger and betrayal I felt fill me until the same numbness consumed me.

It was that same numbness that allowed me to look on passively as Jacob held the man at gunpoint as he used his keycard, access code, and the retina scanner, allowing the door to unlock.

It was barely open when the man received the same treatment as the first security guard, falling to the floor like a marionette with its strings cut.

We stepped through the metal door and took in the sight before us. I let out a deep breath. I had been here once before, but this was a very different situation.

"Here. The guys got the number from the database." Jacob said.

I took the piece of paper from his hand, a slight tremor in mine.

He nodded at me in encouragement and I saw the same smile he used to give me when we were younger.

I turned and faced the innumerable rows of boxes and sucked as much air into my lungs as I could muster.

I glanced down at the paper once more to make sure before I set off.

The case numbers were in chronological order and I glanced at the ones flying past me as I ran.

As I got closer and closer my feet ran faster and faster, my heart matching its pace.

Finally, when I got to the right row, I stopped.

I was breathing heavily from my sprint. I spun as my eyes read over every number, searching for the one I had been looking for year after year. The very item I wanted most in the world.

And then I saw it.

Everything stopped. I glanced down at the number in my hand to double check. My throat became dry once more when I saw it was accurate. I approached it as I suppose one would approach a mirage, afraid that it might disappear any second.

Placing my hands on either side, I slid the box from the shelf with slow deliberation.

Taking a deep, concentrating breath I opened the lid and reached inside, grasping the only folder before replacing the lid and sliding the box back into place.

My grip was like a vice as I held the folder before me, staring at it.

Years. It had taken me years to get me to that moment. To be able to hold it in my hands.

But we would need to get moving if I wanted to get a chance to study its contents.

"Jacob I've got it!" I yelled, tearing my eyes away to look up.

The feeling of accomplishment that I had gained momentarily evaporated like a fine mist. Jacob wasn't waiting for me by the door, ready to help me get to an exit; he was a few feet away, pointing his loaded gun at me.

"Jacob, what are you doing?" I asked.

"What I've been waiting to do for a very long time." He said.

I took a step back, clutching the folder to me. He continued to walk toward me, the gun remaining level.

"Do you remember all those years ago when we worked together? When you betrayed me. Left me there to be arrested." There was a hatred in his words that made me take another step back.

I swallowed, "You were out of control. That security guard almost died because of you."

"I spent almost six years in that prison because of you. The entire time I was thinking about how I would get my revenge. How I would make you pay." He said, his grip on the weapon tightening, "And here we are."

"So you're just going to shoot me? You could have done that at any time." I said.

"Oh, I'm not going to kill you." He said, smiling as if the idea sounded pleasant before the hatred returned, "I'm going to leave you here, just like you left me. I want you to feel the same helplessness, when you know that no one is coming back for you."

With each word he took a step closer, and I continued to back up until my back was pressed against a row of boxes.

"And when they find you down here, with all the heat they've got pinned on you, well, I'm betting you won't see the outside of a jail cell for a very long time."

He paused for a moment as he looked at me, his gaze devoid of any forgiveness.

The last thing I saw was a flash of movement as his arm swung down on me and the butt of the gun made contact with my temple, followed by blackness flooding over my consciousness.

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**A/N: In case you have not been able to tell from the recent content, this story is beginning to wind down and we are now heading into the final few chapters. I would love to know what you thought of this last chapter (even though it had another cliff hanger at the end). Or you may choose to copy and paste a smiley face of your choice from the ones below.**

**:) or :( or :P or ;D or :{D**


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT **

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**EPOV**

My feet dragged as I pushed the glass door of the building open, my palm leaving an evanescent print as I walked inside.

Even though millions of thoughts were treating the forefront of my mind like a freeway, I wasn't out of sorts enough to realize that something was off.

My feet slowed as I looked around the bare lobby. It wasn't as if I expected a lot of people to be here during that hour, but I did expect a few security guards at the very least.

My hand automatically shifted to my holster as a precaution as I let my gaze fall on the empty guard post.

After walking over slowly, I peered over the edge of the desk.

My eyes widened as I rushed to the other side to the unconscious security guard. He had a large bruise on the side of his head, obviously the source of his unconscious state. He wasn't going to wake up anytime soon.

I looked at the computer on his desk and saw that the alarm was originating from the basement evidence room.

I drew my gun as I headed for the elevator.

* * *

The alarms were ringing loudly in my ears and I resisted the need to cover them, my teeth grinding as I cringed.

However, any and all annoyance aimed towards the alarm was gone when I saw her. She was lying lifeless on the ground, completely still and unresponsive to anything I was yelling at her as I sprinted towards her.

"Scarlet!" I yelled again dropping to my knees beside her as I checked to see if she was breathing. "Scarlet, wake up!" She had a gash on her temple that was bleeding, causing a flash of terror to run through me.

I ran a hand through my hair as I thought through my options. The alarm had been ringing long enough that they would be on their way down here, and the second they found her here they would arrest her first and ask questions later, and with the evidence they've got on her she wouldn't see the outside of a jail cell for who knows how long.

In the end it wasn't even a hard choice.

Placing one arm beneath her knees and the other behind her back I stood with her in my arms.

She was incredibly light and I was able to carry her easily as I jogged to the elevator doors as quickly as I could, swiping my card and telling myself that I would worry about them identifying me by my ID later.

I punched the number for one of the lower levels beneath the ground floor while hanging on to Scarlet, pressing my back against the wall under the camera. I was going to try and keep this going without them seeing my every move for as long as possible.

The elevator shuttered and began its ascent.

I leaned my head back against the wall, closing my eyes and releasing a deep breath, trying to figure out what I was going to do.

My eyes opened with the ring of the elevator and I straightened again, readjusting her body in my arms. I glanced out of the elevator before ducking out of it and jogging down the hall.

I was one floor beneath the lobby of the building, beneath street level. I was heading towards the back of the building, hoping to be able to slip out one of the delivery entrances without being scene.

The pounding of feet and raised voices heading in my direction caused me to make a quick dive into the nearest unlocked door, closing it behind me.

I laid Scarlet down on the floor gently and pressed my ear to the door, waiting for the footsteps to fade away before I opened the door a crack and peered out. I wasn't used to being on the opposite side of a manhunt. Usually I was the one who was doing the chasing. I let out a deep breath. _'I guess I'm just going to have to think like Scarlet then.'_

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**BPOV**

The first thing I felt was an enormous ache in my head.

It was like déjà vu from the last time.

My eyes were shut tight as I brought one hand to my temple, feeling the gash. The memory of Jacob striking me came back to me.

"Son of a bitch." I groaned as a wave of nausea overtook me and I rolled onto my side a little.

"Whoa, don't move too much, you're pretty banged up." Came a voice as a hand softly pressed on my shoulder in an attempt to get me to lie back down on my back.

I cracked my eyes open at the voice but the blurriness just caused my head to ache more and I quickly squeezed them shut.

'_That sounded like…'_

"Edward?"

"Yeah" He whispered, "Just lie still for a moment while I try to figure out how to get us out of here."

I didn't hear the second part of what he said; I was trying to remember something. The pounding in my head was making it difficult for me to remember. I knew there was a reason that Edward's presence should bother me. Something I heard.

And then it came snapping back and my eyes shot open, the pounding in my head momentarily ignored as I pushed him away and stood up, slightly unbalanced.

"Whoa, what's wrong?" He asked, concern and confusion etched across his face as he stood and approached me.

"Get the hell away from me." I said in a low voice, taking another step back.

His expression was all confusion now as he looked at me, "What's wrong?" He asked, his voice only a little louder than a whisper.

I was looking around, trying to figure out where I was. It appeared to be some sort of conference room. And as far as I could tell there was only one exit, the door behind Edward.

But then I caught sight of the file on the floor where I had just been laying and my eyes locked on it.

"Scarlet, we need to get out of here." He said, glancing over his shoulder.

"_We_?" I said, my eyes darting up to him, "I'm not going anywhere with you!"

The confused look was back.

"How could you do that to me?" I asked, anger flowing through me.

"What? I don't know what-" He began to say but I cut him off.

"I heard you!" I yelled.

"Heard me? Heard me do what?" He asked, the fact that he was lying to my face, feigning ignorance, cut me deep.

"Talking to Aro about how much of a thief and a criminal I am!" I yelled.

His eyes widened and some of the color left his face. He visibly swallowed, "Scarlet, it's not what you think," he said as he approached me with his palms up.

"No, I am done having you lie to me!" I said, seeing my opening and taking it. I pushed him to the side and ran past him, scooping up the folder quickly as I ran out the door.

I looked to either side of the hallway and took a chance, turning left and sprinting as fast as my legs would carry me with a pounding headache.

I looked over my shoulder when I heard footsteps pounding after me and saw Edward chasing after me. He was catching up quickly due to the fact that I was concentrating more on not running into walls than on speed.

I was almost to the end of the hallway when I felt his hand grab onto my upper arm and pull me back.

"Let go of me!" I yelled, trying to pull my arm loose.

"Scarlet, listen to me. I don't know how you heard what you did, but it wasn't what it sounded like." He said in a hushed tone, looking around.

I pulled my arm out of his grip, still angry. "Then explain." I spat bitterly.

"I promise, I will. But right now we are in the middle of the FBI while they are tearing the place apart looking for an intruder. The second they see you all hell's going to break loose and they're going to take us both down." He said.

"Then leave, I can handle myself." I said, pushing him away and walking past him, looking for another way out.

"I'm not leaving you." I heard him say behind me.

An onslaught of pain assaulted my head and I reached out a hand for balance against the wall. The blaring alarm that was ringing in the hallway wasn't helping things either.

My head shot up when I heard at least a dozen footsteps heading our way from down the hall.

I turned around and ran past where Edward was standing, drawing his attention as I pushed open the door he had stopped me from running through before.

"Wait, Scarlet don't-" He tried to stop me but I was already through the door.

I froze for a second in the opening of the large lobby type area, most likely the level beneath the front entrance. There were at least a half a dozen guys carrying a variety of weapons, discussing something.

One of them looked up at my entrance, confusion and then recognition flashed across his face.

I started running before he yelled out, making a mad dash for the door on the opposite side of the hall.

One of them grabbed my arm and I reacted automatically, using his own movement to throw him off balance before taking his knees out from under him.

I heard the rest of them drawing their weapons and knew that now was the time to get out of there.

My eyes scanned my choice of doors and I slipped inside the closest one. Now that they knew my location the entire bureau was probably headed my way that very moment.

I locked the door behind me and kept running, hearing them trying to get through behind me.

I was in what appeared to be a loading dock, a tunnel that went from the ground level to where I was standing. Loading docks like this were used for evidence transfers so that they wouldn't have to happen insecurely outside.

I ran past the armored trucks that were idling side by side. I saw the open gate at the end next to an armed guard and started to make a break for it when an arm grabbed me and pulled me back, putting a hand over my mouth. I was about to just kick the crap out of whoever it was until I saw it was Edward and then I wanted to kill him. He must have taken an alternate hallway around the locked door.

"I'm trying to help you." He said in a hushed town.

I ripped his hand from my mouth and pushed him away before making a break for it. The guard saw me coming when I was only a few feet away and raised his radio. I knocked it from his hand and crushed it with my foot.

He grabbed me from behind, a lot stronger than he looked and threw me against the brick wall, pain shot up my spine and resonated in my head.

His weight was thrown against me and I was finding it difficult to move. I was struggling to free my hands from where he had them pinned when suddenly the weight was gone and I was free to move.

I turned and saw Edward standing over the unconscious body of the guard. He was breathing heavily when he said, "We need to move. Now."

"I don't need or want your help Edward!" I yelled, continuing to run towards the gate, my previous anger returning.

I glanced over my shoulder nervously when I heard shouting. I felt the open air meet my face and breathed deeply, letting it clear my head.

I needed a car.

I spotted the parking lot across the road and ran for it. I glanced over my shoulder half way across the street and heard the alarms ringing. Cop cars were beginning to appear around the corner near the front entrance, I didn't have much time.

I ran a hand through my hair in exasperation as I entered the parking lot, cringing and taking it away quickly when I touched the gash. I rubbed the blood off on my shirt as I stumbled around, looking for a suitable vehicle.

I was bleeding, my head was pounding, and I was exhausted. The file in my hand was crushed from me clenching my hand so tightly around it. I was close to tears and just wanted to leave, go anywhere but stay where I was.

"Scarlet." Edward said softly, making me turn around.

"What? Why can't you just leave me alone? You've done enough already." Exhaustion was seeping through me and I reached out a hand to steady myself.

"I want to explain." He said, talking softly when he saw my disheveled state.

"No." I shook my head, "I am done with you lying to me. Betraying me."

He looked over his shoulder as the noise level rose.

"Listen, someone inside the FBI is framing you for the jewel heist we investigated a few days ago. They have enough clearance that they were able to mess with the GPS on your tracking anklet." He said, talking quickly.

"That night, Aro asked me to come to his office. He told me about the GPS and how they had enough proof that they were going to bring you in and lock you up in maximum security. "

"I didn't have time to think of a plan, or at least a good one. What you heard was me telling him what I needed to. If I had said that you and I were together that night, it would have looked like I was covering up your crime and I would immediately be taken off the case due to the fact that they had what they believe to be irrefutable evidence. And if they started looking into my life it wouldn't take them long to figure out that we were together and I would immediately get fired."

I was seething now, "So you were more worried about your job than my innocence?"

He was shaking his head, "No, I told Aro what he needed to hear because I am the only one who knows without a doubt that you are innocent. If I got kicked off the case or fired, I would lose all access to the resources I would need to prove that you were innocent." He concluded, staring at me.

I looked up at him, still gritting my teeth with anger, "I don't believe you." Swallowing hard I walked around the garage, still looking for a way out.

I was stumbling a bit and he reached out an arm to steady me.

"Scarlet."

I ripped my arm from his grip and turned, flames in my eyes. "No! I am tired of you lying to me! I trusted you and you used that against me!" Now unshed tears were in my eyes from both the exhaustion and the anger.

"Scarlet, I know I hurt you, but you have to believe me when I say that I never meant for that to happen!" He yelled back.

"Stop lying to me!" I yelled, my hands clenching.

"I'm not lying!" He yelled, reaching out to me, but I took a step back and turned around, continuing my search for a car.

I tried the door of a nearby car with no luck, pounding my hand against it in frustration. "Why should I believe you!" I yelled, growing more helpless and angry as one of the tears in my eyes escaped and I wiped it away furiously from my cheek as I rested my forehead against the car.

"Because I love you."

He said it so quietly I almost missed it.

Time seemed to stand still.

I was still resting my forehead against the car's cool metal, my eyes closed. "What?" I whispered, hoping that I had misheard, or that the blow to my head was far worse than I thought and I was hearing things.

I felt his hand on my shoulder, warm and comforting, "If you don't believe anything else, believe that."

I let out the breath I hadn't known I was holding.

"Scarlet, please look at me." He asked quietly.

I debated the idea in my mind for a few moments before slowly turning my head to peek at him.

He was looking at me intently, searching my face for my reaction.

I knew I shouldn't believe him. There was no reason that I could see that would cause me to think he was telling the truth. Then why did I?

I stared at him for a few moments that seemed to stretch on forever until I closed my eyes again, at a loss. I felt him push a piece of hair back behind my ear, "Please say something."

I opened my eyes again and swallowed; I cleared my throat and was about to say something when a sudden noise increase across the street caused us both to turn our heads.

"Edward-" I started but he interrupted me.

"Later, right now we have to move." He said, grabbing my hand and pulling me from the car.

There were raised voices coming towards us, and as I stared at Edward I realized I was going to need his help to get out of there.

I looked around and spotted something that would work.

I put a hand to my forehead as I said, "Edward, the motorcycle."

"What?"

"You can break the steering lock with your foot; use your pocket knife in exchange for a key." I said.

He threw me a look but did as I said and I soon heard him kick the steering wheel, affectively breaking the parking lock.

I watched him flip open his pocket knife and throw me a doubtful look before jamming it into the key slot and turning it, a surprised look on his face when the bike actually came to life.

The noise wasn't quiet and I could see people running over.

"Time to go, hop on." Edward said, straddling the bike with his hand held out to me.

I glanced over my shoulder once more, hesitating for a second before taking his hand and climbing on behind him.

He sped forward and I quickly wrapped my arms around his waist.

There was only one exit to the garage meaning we had to head towards the very people who were trying to stop us.

I could hear yelling and saw people pointing at us. I tightened my grip on Edward as he sped up to get away from them, heading away from the bureau building.

I glanced over my shoulder and saw numerous police cruisers in pursuit behind us, their blue and red lights reflecting off the surrounding buildings.

"Edward we've got company!" I yelled over the wind, "Head for the busy streets, they won't be able to set up a road block and we can lose them in the traffic!"

I felt him nod and he sped up more, turning a corner at a sharp angle.

The bitter cold wasn't helping my situation and pressed my face into the back of Edward's jacket as he continued to fly down the road.

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**EPOV**

I felt her grip tighten as I sped up more, glancing over my shoulder to see how many cruisers were following. I counted four and I was sure there would be at least a half a dozen more that were en route.

It took about five minutes at the rate I was going to get to the busier streets of downtown and I had to slow down in order to avoid running into things or people.

I wove in-between taxis and other cars, trying to put distance between us and the cops, knowing fully well that the traffic would be their downfall.

However, I didn't want to chance it and figured that we would be safer if we ditched the bike.

When I didn't see any cops for over a minute I pulled the bike into a small alley and turned it off. I had to yank the knife out of it in order to pocket it again.

Scarlet had yet to remove her arms from around me. "Scarlet?" I said softly and felt her moving, realizing that she had been hiding her face in the back of my jacket for the entire ride.

She removed her arms and I immediately missed the feeling.

We both got off the bike and came to the end of the alley.

"What now?" she asked quietly, putting a hand to her forehead.

"Now we get you fixed up." I said spotting a drug store and heading for it.

Fifteen minutes later we walked out with band aids and pain killers. We walked for a bit to put distance between us and the deserted motorcycle before I spotted a bar and thought that it would be as good a place as any.

I opened the door and followed her inside.

It was warm inside and I immediately felt less exposed than when we had been walking on the street.

Scarlet cleared her throat and glanced at me, "I'm going to go clean up." She said, nodding towards the restroom in back.

I nodded and told her I would grab us a table, sending her a small smile that she didn't return.

The bar only had a few other people inside given the hour so I was able to grab a booth easily and ordered water for both of us.

I sipped mine nervously, expecting the police and the FBI to come busting in through the door at any moment.

I ran a hand through my hair and thought about everything that had happened in the last few hours.

I realized then that I had been in having feelings about her for a while, but it had only occurred to me within the past few days that it was love I was feeling.

If I learned anything that day, it was that nothing was more important to me than her.

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**BPOV**

I winced as dabbed at the cut on my forehead with a wet paper towel, grimacing when it came away red.

I both looked and felt like crap.

I continued to wipe away as much dried blood as I could from the wound before placing a band aid over it.

The crumpled and twisted folder was sitting on the counter beside me and it caught my eye. I hadn't opened it yet and part of me didn't want to.

I dumped the pile of paper towels in the trash before heading back out into the bar, turning my head this way and that before I spotted Edward sitting in a booth contemplating his glass of water.

I slid into the booth in the side opposite him and threw the bag on the seat next to me. I fished inside of it and snagged a couple of pain killers, downing them with the water in front of me.

We sat there for a few moments, both thinking about what we would like to say and what we should say, knowing that they're not the same thing.

He let out a sigh and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "Do you believe me?"

My eyes glanced up at him as I played with the cup of water in my hands, "Which part? The part about you lying to protect me, or the part about you thinking you love me?"

I watched the condensation dripping down the side of the glass.

There was a pause, "Both."

Another pause, I continued to stare at my glass of water.

When I didn't respond he said, "Maybe we should talk about what led you to be unconscious on the evidence room floor with a gash on your forehead."

I sighed and touched my forehead where the band aid was. It was then that it hit me, I was going to have to tell him everything. And not just about Jacob, about my past, about my parents. Everything.

I stared at the man before me, the debate in my mind going back and forth like a tennis match.

I let out the breath I had been holding when I realized that I did trust him, I really didn't have much of a choice but to.

"Okay." I said.

"Okay what?" He asked, leaning forward a little more.

"I'm going to tell you." I said, taking a long sip of water.

I thought about where I should start, I cleared my throat, "When I was growing up, I had a group of friends. We used to get into trouble every now and then, just kid stuff, nothing serious. I was friends with them for a long time, and especially close with one of them, Jake, even through college."

I glanced up for a moment and saw that he was listening intently.

"It was during my last year at college when it happened. My parents were on a trip to Chicago, their marriage had been on the rocks for a while and they were hoping that a second honeymoon of sorts would help."

I took a long swig from the glass, my throat had become dry.

"They were out late at night one evening, in a bad area that they shouldn't have been in, or so I'm told. They witnessed a drug deal that went wrong, one of the guys shot the other at point blank range. Of course, being the good citizens that they were they immediately went to the police and told them what they saw." I let out a shaky breath, realizing that now I that I had started, I wouldn't be able to stop.

"Something went wrong in the investigation when it got turned over to the FBI. Somehow the guy they identified as the shooter that should have been locked up had to be let go because of a legal fault that was made. The killer found out that my parents were the ones that witnessed him shooting the other man and-" I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Their car was broadsided on their way to their hotel. They both died instantly."

I felt Edward's fingertips touch mine as a sign of reassurance and I glanced up at him briefly before continuing my story.

"Everybody knew it wasn't an accident, but they had no proof. When I learned that it was a stupid mistake that the FBI made that led to the murder of my parents…I was angry. Angry at anything that resembled the government. I was tired of following rules; I wanted to take some sort of action. Jake helped me with that. Jake found the safes, I cracked them. We took what we did as kids to the next level. We were untouchable. My anger had turned to numbness; I didn't care about anything anymore."

I paused, realizing that Edward was now holding my hand completely; I also realized I didn't mind.

"I continued like that for years. It wasn't the money for me, it was the fact that every time I pulled off a heist was another blow against the government. I finally woke up one day during a heist, I had finished with the safe faster than we thought and walked in on Jacob beating up the security guard. I was horrified, I don't hurt people when I can help it, I knew then that I had been blind to how out of control Jacob and the rest of the guys had been. He needed to be stopped, and I knew that I was the only one that could do it. I trapped them inside the museum; the police found them and they were put in jail."

I was surprised that he hadn't asked a single question yet, or interrupted me in any way. He was listening intently and I was thankful for it.

"I was without a family, I had just turned all of my closest friends in to the police, I had nothing left where I was, so I headed for Chicago. I decided that since I couldn't count on the government to catch the person responsible for the death of my parents, it was up to me. I had no money and a very specific set of skills, so I started doing what I did best, hitting one museum at a time. My goal was to make connections, get to know the right people in order to get information." I paused and licked my dry lips, "I finally tracked the guy down, the drug dealer. I was too late though, someone else had gotten to him first for another reason. Apparently he tried to screw someone over and they didn't take it very well. I didn't know what to do then, I had enough money and connections that I didn't need to go anywhere. I wasn't distraught, but there was a sense of failure that seemed to follow me everywhere, a hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach that stemmed from a lack of closure concerning the death of my parents. I thought I would have to live with that for the rest of my life."

I was seeing my entire story play out before my eyes, recalling memories like they occurred yesterday.

"But then one of my connections came forward with some news that they had stumbled upon that they weren't supposed to. It turns out that there was no mistake on the case that my parents were witnesses for." I laughed without humor as I continued to stare at my cup of water, "It just so happens, the FBI agent on the case let the drug dealer go on purpose. He probably even gave him the information on where to find my parents and framed someone else on the bureau for what was later called a 'mistake'. The connection that told me all this was one of the guys helping me track down the drug dealer; he personally overheard the guy talking about it. The agent made an under the table agreement with the criminal. In exchange for freedom and the location of eye witnesses, the drug dealer gave the FBI agent information on a huge case that would put his entire career on the fast track. So the drug dealer went free, the FBI agent got a promotion for cracking an impossible case, and my parents were killed."

I paused and cleared my throat, glad that my story was almost done.

"After learning this, I tried to get access to the file on the case. To try and find the person behind it all so that I could finally get the revenge I craved. They wouldn't let me have it. I didn't know what to do, I couldn't give them my real name because that would lead to questions I couldn't answer. They couldn't give me any names of agents because the case had somehow been an undercover operation. If any of the info leaked out, the agent who had been part of the operation could be put in danger since the case hadn't been closed. So I basically had nothing. No name and no way of getting it. So I decided to bide my time until I could find a way to get it, doing what I did best." I took a deep breath and let it out, "And this is where you come into the story." I smiled a little bit. "I knew that if I became your partner that you would give me the access I needed, and it worked. I found where the file was, I just didn't know how I was going to get it." I glanced up at him, "and then things changed between us, things that made me question whether what I was going after was worth it." I paused again in my story, "And then Jacob paid me a visit-kidnapped me, I should say. He played that tape of you saying those things and I was angry. I let that anger cloud my judgment and I put my trust in the wrong person." I let out my breath in a 'whoosh', "Turns out, he wanted revenge just about as bad as I do."

I looked up at him, "And the next thing I know I'm waking up next to you with a headache and a bloody forehead." I said with an actual smile even though there wasn't much humor in the situation.

He was staring at me, tapping his fingers against his own glass as he thought over everything I told him.

"So, still think you love me?" I asked him with a nervous smile.

The smile I had come to know so well broke out across his face, "I know I do."

I laughed lightly for the first time in days and realized that I had missed the feeling.

His expression became solemn as he looked at me, "I'm sorry about your parents."

I nodded and felt him rub hum thumb across the back of my hand.

There were a few quiet moments between us that was eventually broken by his voice.

"I'm going to help you catch him." He said with determination and I could see the anger he was trying hard to conceal. I smiled across at him softly, only then realizing how much I had missed him.

After a moment I reached down onto the seat next to me and grabbed the roll of papers that was the folder and placed it on the table between us.

His eyes locked on it.

"You got it?"

I nodded.

"Have you looked inside yet?"

I shook my head.

He seemed to realize what was going through my head and gave my hand a squeeze.

I placed my hand on top of the crumpled folder and slid it towards myself, pausing for a moment to look up at him, "Do you believe my story?"

He met my eyes squarely, "Yes."

I nodded and opened the file.

I scanned through line after line as I flipped through the few pages, working my way through the useless information with intensity.

It was halfway through flipping to another page that I froze. What I had first assumed to be something else turned out to be exactly what I was looking for. I stopped breathing as I read the line over and over again, hoping that it wasn't true. But it was true, and it made my job a suicide mission.

I swallowed as I sat back in my seat. Edward was watching me intently, trying to understand my hopelessness.

I looked at him for a moment before holding out the open folder to him.

He took it with careful hands and read the same line I had. He too froze and I watched as some of the color drained from his face.

He looked up and met my gaze.

"Aro."

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**A/N: I apologize for the delayed update, it is partially due to the fact that I was out of town without a computer and the fact that I found this chapter difficult to write. Questions that you have been asking throughout the entire story have finally been answered. So tell me, how surprised were you guys with this chapter? I'd really like to know what you thought of it, either through a written review of a smiley face chosen from below. **

**:) or :( or :P or ;D or :{D**


	27. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT **

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**BPOV**

Edward glanced in both directions nervously once we stepped out the door into the frigid air.

"We need to go somewhere safe where we can get some rest." He said, still looking for any sign of police activity.

As much as my mind was reeling from the new information I had just taken in, the fatigue seeping through me was enough to make me agree with his suggestion of rest.

"Maybe we can find a hotel or something, but we'll need to find a way to scrape enough cash together because our credit cards are no doubt being closely monitored already." He continued, a crease forming between his brows, a telltale sign of how worried he was.

I let out a small sigh and cleared my throat, "I've got a place we can go."

I read the look on his face and answered his question before he even got a chance to ask it, "No, neither you nor the rest of the FBI knows about it."

He just raised an eyebrow at me with a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. I rolled my eyes as I stepped past him, "We're going to need a cab."

"You sure that's a good idea?" He asked, coming to join me in facing the street.

"We don't have much choice. I think that boosting a car would attract more attention anyways." I said, catching sight of a taxi. Edward beat me to flagging it down and opened the door for me after the car had slowed to a stop in front of us. With another roll of my eyes I climbed inside and slid over to make room.

I could tell Edward was listening intently when I gave the driver the address and caught a look of surprise on his face when he realized where we were headed.

"Never would have figured you for a suburb girl." He said with another smile.

"It's quiet." Was my response as the cab pulled away from the curb.

* * *

When the car pulled onto the right street I said, "You can stop here."

Edward dug some cash out of his pocket and handed it to the driver before we climbed out. I watched the cab drive off before turning to see Edward looking around at all the houses, their porch lights glowing faintly.

"So which one's yours?" He asked, looking at each one slowly.

"None of these, I figured it would be better to walk the rest of the way than to have someone see exactly where they were dropping us off."

He nodded and said, "Lead the way."

I let out a sigh and started walking down the sidewalk, very aware of Edward's presence a step behind me.

We had only made it halfway down the block when I felt his hand grasp mine in a gentle grip.

I bit my tongue to stop the sigh that was threatening to leak out. I glanced down at our entwined hands but didn't pull my hand from his. I would have to think about and deal with his feelings when I didn't have more pressing issues.

A few turned corners and blocks later I stopped walking in front of a two story home and let my eyes travel over it.

"It's nice." I heard Edward say beside me.

After another beat of silence I tugged on his hand and said, "Come on."

Approaching the door I let go of Edward's hand and headed for the planter beside the porch, looking around for the rock which hid the key to the front door. Upon finding it I snagged the key and went to open the door.

"You know, that's not very sneaky. I would have expected something way more high-tech to hide the key to your house." He said, trying to lighten the gloomy mood.

I gave him a half hearted smile and said, "Most of the security is inside." I said, swinging the door open and walking over to the alarm keypad which had started beeping.

Edward looked around and gave an appreciative whistle as I shut the alarm off.

"Are you sure this place is safe?" He asked, craning his neck to get a better look around.

"Did you know I had this place?" I asked.

"No." He said, glancing back at me.

"Then I think we'll be okay." I said, stifling a yawn.

"We should go get some rest." He said, looking around for a bedroom. I nodded and motioned for him to follow me as I trudged upstairs.

He was watching me carefully, most likely expecting me to fall asleep mid-step and tumble down the stairs.

I didn't waste any time and just kicked my shoes off before crawling into the bed I hadn't slept in in a long time.

The day was catching up with me rapidly and my eyes drooped quickly.

Right before my eyes closed completely, I was faintly aware of Edward saying, "We'll figure this thing out in the morning. Just get some sleep."

* * *

**EPOV**

I awoke to the sun streaming through the window, telling me immediately that it was well past morning and most likely approaching early afternoon.

I blinked heavily a few times and looked down at Scarlet who appeared to have curled into my side at some point during the night.

In the light of day I was able to see the wound on her upper forehead more easily and frowned. The bandaid was still covering most of it, but now a circular bruise had formed around it and it looked painful. I gritted my teeth at the anger that arose suddenly.

She was snoring lightly and the tense demeanor she had when she was awake was nowhere to be found.

I would have to remember to tease her about the snoring later.

After a while I got up, slowly disentangling myself from her side so as not to wake her. Stretching my arms above my head I realized that sleeping in regular clothing was not as comfortable as I had originally thought.

I headed downstairs and took a look around the house, seeing things I missed last night in the dark.

There were a few hallways with at least a half dozen doors in each one. The only ones that weren't locked ended up being spare bedrooms or closets.

I walked into the kitchen and rummaged around for food or coffee, not finding much to work with.

"Sorry, I don't think there's going to be much in there." I heard her say when I opened the fridge to find it empty.

"No kidding." I said, closing it and turning to look at her.

Her hair was sticking up at an odd angle and her clothing was completely wrinkled from sleeping with it on. She was rubbing the sleep out of her eyes as her toes curled against the cold tile floor.

"How are you feeling?" I asked her.

She shrugged and touched her forehead with a small wince, "I've been better."

I glanced around the empty kitchen one more time. "Since there doesn't appear to be any food here, why don't we grab a bite to eat somewhere and talk about what you want to do." I suggested.

She nodded slowly with a yawn and trudged back upstairs to change.

* * *

An hour later we were sitting in a booth at a local breakfast place discussing options over pancakes and coffee.

"Are you sure that would work?" She asked after swallowing a rather large bite of pancake.

I shrugged, "As sure as I am of any of the plans we've come up with so far. What I like the most about this one is that there are less guns involved, and the building won't be as full."

She thought it over as she took a sip of her coffee, making a face when it burned her tongue.

"I don't think I should even bring my gun." I said.

"Why?" She speared another piece of pancake.

"If I have to run interference with security, having a gun on me would not look good if they decide to arrest me." I said, thinking it over.

"How am _I_ going to deal with security?" She asked.

"You can get past them easily enough; it's the cameras we have to worry about. Someone spots you and the alarm is raised and we're blown." I said.

"I can do that. I'm not _that_ rusty." She said with an attempted smile that came out more as a grimace.

"Then we go in tonight?" She asked.

I nodded, "The longer we wait, the more time they have to find you. If they got a hold of you before this, no matter what you say, no one will believe you, excluding me of course." I smiled, trying to lighten the mood.

"Tonight it is then." She said, sipping at her coffee with an apprehensive look in her eyes.

* * *

"Are you ready?" I asked her, watching her face for any signs of worry or hesitation. I saw none.

She nodded, "Yeah, I'm ready."

"Good luck" I said, kissing her cheek as we both got out of the car. I watched her jog over to the side of the building to use a back entrance.

Night was settling in by the time I reached the front doors of the building and a chill was gripping the air.

I took deep breath before pushing the doors open and walked into the FBI lobby.

I smiled at the group of Internal Affairs officers that were huddled around the security desk. They didn't look happy about being called in to the office this late and told me as much with their expressions.

"Agent Cullen." One of them stepped forward and shook my hand.

Once the formalities were over another stepped forward and said, "You called us in here and said you have some knowledge as to the whereabouts of your consultant."

"Yes." I said, "Why don't we head upstairs so that we can talk more comfortably and privately." I gestured to the elevator with a smile.

I breathed a small sigh of relief when they nodded and headed for the elevator without me having to force them.

The bureau was still unaware of the fact that it was me that was helping Scarlet. They assumed that it was one of her unknown associates that helped her break into the building the other night and get out. At least I assumed they haven't put the pieces together, if they had then things would end very badly for me in the next few minutes.

The elevator seemed to be moving exceptionally slow as it crawled to the second floor.

I cleared my throat and led the way to a conference room at the end of the hall, opened the door and ushered them all inside.

I made sure no one was looking directly at me as they settled into their seats and made my way over to the phone on the counter. Looking it over I pressed the button I was looking for.

"You may begin Agent Cullen." One of them said.

I turned around quickly, "Yes of course."

I looked as f I was about to begin and then slapped a hand to my forehead, "I'm sorry, I forgot to grab the folder from my car. You stay here; I'll be back in less than five minutes."

Before they could answer I slipped out the door and closed it behind me. The rest was up to Scarlet.

* * *

**BPOV**

While Edward worked with the Internal Affairs agents I slipped around the back of the building and found another way inside that could bypass security.

Once inside I stuck to the shadows and quickly slipped inside rooms when someone would walk down the hallway in my direction.

I kept to the stairs to avoid cameras and made my way to the second level.

If Edward's guess was correct, he should be sitting in his office signing papers right about now.

'_I guess I'm going to find out'_

Without knocking I turned the handle, threw the door open and strode in.

He only looked slightly surprised to see me as he set down the papers he was holding.

"I thought you might try to worm your way back in here." Aro said, shaking his head "Everyone thinks you're smart, and yet you walk right back into the hands of the people that want to lock you up for life."

"If anyone is going to be locked up for life, it's you." I said, relieved that my voice did not betray my nerves.

He reached for his phone and at the look on my face said, "Oh, I'm not calling security just yet, I feel like this conversation could be entertaining and I don't want them to interrupt until I need them."

I watched as he pressed a button and waited for someone on the other line to pick up, "Yeah, he's here somewhere. Take care of it." And then hung up the phone. "Where were we? Oh right, you were telling me that I'm going to jail." He said, his tone amused as he stood from his desk and made his way to the window, looking outside even though there was nothing to see, his demeanor completely relaxed.

I was tense with anger but still thinking clearly enough to remember why I was there. I took the opportunity he gave me and strode over to the phone on his desk to press the 'conference' button. I jumped back to my original position when he began talking once more.

"You know, I never would have known who you were unless your friend Jake hadn't come and tipped me off. He wanted his revenge and saw me as a means to get rid of you. He came up with the jewel heist plan and said he'd take care of it. I did my part with your tracking anklet." His expression was one of pride. Even though I had assumed what he was telling me already, it still made me grind my teeth.

"And then once he told me about that file you wanted, I couldn't resist. I have to take credit for that plan, though if he had done what I told him to do you would have ended up dead instead of just bruised." He smiled with a sad shake of the head, "I guess you really can never trust a criminal to get anything done right. I suppose he wanted you to rot in jail like he did."

My fingers were itching to wrap around his neck.

"It's been a long time since I've been bested, I truly did not see the depth of Agent Cullen's feeling for you. I really never expected him to sacrifice his career for you." Here he gave an all out chuckle and I gritted my teeth and continued to watch the man that killed my parents.

* * *

**EPOV**

I glanced down the hallway at things I couldn't see, hoping that Scarlet was doing alright. She was at the other end of the floor and I longed to go and make sure that she was still okay. But I couldn't, I had to stay near the elevator and stairwell in case I needed to divert security.

I was walking down the hall in a finally sweep when a door opened and I was pulled inside and thrown to the ground in a small office.

The wind was knocked out of me temporarily as I looked to see who threw me.

He stood in the door way and looked at me with malice in his eyes. I coughed and rose to me feet, trying to pull air into my lungs.

"And you are...?" I asked.

His smile was cruel, "Jake."

My eyes narrowed, "_You're_ Jake?" His smile grew in confirmation. This was the guy that hit Scarlet. I was going to kill him.

He noticed my change in expression and laughed, "So I guess she did tell you about me."

"She told me enough." I slammed into his stomach and threw him against the wall. He threw a few punches at my stomach and I grunted.

We continued to grapple until he forced me back and threw me into the desk where I topple across it, taking the computer and lamp with me as I crashed to the floor.

Before I could get up I received multiple kicks to my ribs and I sucked in air as I heard a cracking sound followed by pain and a difficulty in breathing.

I grabbed the lamp that had crashed to the floor beside me and threw it at him, ducked, giving me enough time to scramble to my feet and put a little bit of distance between us.

When I looked up he had a switchblade in his hand.

I felt for the gun that wasn't there, _'Why did I decide to leave it behind?'_ I thought angrily.

I let out my breath in a huff and watched him carefully as he approached, I did not like how comfortable that knife looked in his hand.

'_I guess Aro doesn't want me around now that I know the truth. I probably should have seen this coming.'_

Jake lunged with the knife and I dodged away from it, hearing it slice through the air by my head.

He jabbed for my stomach and I jumped back and hit the desk.

It went on like that, him jabbing and slashing at me while I dodged, jumped and wove.

One time I wasn't quick enough and he opened a cut on my palm. Cradling it I realized that I would have to make my move at some point or he was going to cut me to shreds as soon as I got tired.

Gritting my teeth against the pain I waited for him to lunge again. When he did, I twisted and gripped the wrist of the knife hand and drove him back against the wall. I slammed his hand against the wall behind him repeatedly, trying to get him to release the knife.

He kicked at me relentlessly as we struggled until finally he lost his grip and the knife fell to the floor and I managed to kick it away.

His now-empty hand closed into a fist and met my jaw once, but it wasn't as strong as before. He had lost his advantage and now I was angry.

I thought about how he left Scarlet bleeding on the floor of the basement and let that thought fuel my rage.

I leaned back and hit him multiple times wherever I could reach. I then gripped the front of his shirt and threw him to the ground where I had better leverage.

I continued to hit him until my knuckles were bloody and he was unconscious.

I was breathing heavily and stared down at him, I would never let him hurt her again.

I made my way out of the room cradling my bleeding hand. I walked down the hall in search of a break room that might have items that could serve as medical supplies.

The 'ding' of the elevator didn't register in my mind until the doors opened and a security guard let out a gasp at the sight of me.

'_Ah crap. I really hope Scarlet's almost finished because I think things are about to get crowded around here.'_

He ran up to me and managed to recognize me despite what I'm sure was a serious amount of swelling on my face, "Agent Cullen, what happened?"

"Can we get to the lobby; I think there's a medical supply kit somewhere down there." I said, thinking quickly to try and get him away from this floor for as long as possible.

He nodded and helped me get into the elevator.

* * *

**BPOV**

He walked over to the wet bar in the corner of his office and began pouring amber liquid into a crystal glass.

"I suppose you also want me to talk about what happened to your parents all those years ago." He said, swirling the liquid in his glass.

My hands clenched by my sides.

"The information that drug dealer gave me for your parent's location put my career on the fast track. And look where I am now!" He gestured to his lavish office with a smile. He took another sip from his drink and said, "I really should thank them, I couldn't have gotten here without them." He held up his glass as if toasting them. At that moment I completely forgot about the real reason I was there. I allowed the anger that had been building up for years course through me.

A sound that resembled both a strangled cry and a growl erupted from me as I threw myself at him. I heard glass shatter and realized later that I must have crashed into one of the vases that adorned his office as I felt a piece of it cut into upper arm with a sting I didn't notice.

I rolled and connected my fist wherever I could reach, hitting him at least once on the cheek and jaw. He brought his foot up and kicked me away from him. As he was getting back on his feet I crashed into him and slammed his back against the wall, gripping the lapels of his jacket.

"Why would you do it!"

"I didn't kill them. I-"

My grip tightened and I slammed him against the wall again.

"Didn't kill them! They never would have died if it wasn't for you! You told that drug dealer where to find them when you were supposed to be protecting them! They trusted you and the FBI to help them stay safe when they did the right thing and what did you do! You had them killed!"

I was still gripping him with white knuckles and he was silent.

I was shaking with anger, "Say something!" I screamed at him, pulling him back and slamming him against the wall again.

He looked at me with a curl to his lip for a few moments while I restrained from bashing his head in.

Then he began to laugh, the cut on his lip began to bleed. I let my grip go and stepped away from him.

When his laughter subsided he said, "How did you expect this little charade to go? Did you think that you would come in here and we'd have a nice talk and I would cry and admit that I'm sorry for their deaths and that it was all my fault? That I would feel remorse?" He let out another laugh.

I said nothing.

"Let me tell you how this is conversation is going to be reported later. You- a criminal with a warrant out on your head- broke into the FBI and then proceeded to assault the head of the FBI." He walked behind his desk. "I am going to call security up here and they are going to take you into custody and I am going to make sure that you are thrown into the darkest hole I can find so that no one will ever hear this elaborate yet false story that you have woven about me killing your parents."

He picked up the phone and looked up at me as if he just remembered something.

"It really is too bad about Agent Cullen. I'm sure the report will say something like 'Rogue agent killed while attempting to help a known criminal.' Or at least that's how it's going to look. Your friend Jacob is taking care of that right now. Security will be here any second so I would run now if you want to catch one last glimpse of him before they find you. Maybe I'll get lucky and they'll be forced to shoot you."

I was already sprinting out of his office after Edward and didn't see him look down at his phone and notice that the conference speaker light was on, anyone who was in that conference room would have been able to hear our entire conversation.

It was as I was sprinting down the deserted hallways that my injuries made themselves known.

I had a shallow cut on my upper arm that was still bleeding slightly and I had a bruise on my stomach that was making it difficult and uncomfortable to run.

I ducked into an office when security ran past accompanied by a few Internal Affairs agents. I took that as a good sign that Edward pulled through on his part and waited until they were out of sight before I took off running again.

I was getting more and more worried the longer I went without knowing that he was okay. Various scenarios were playing in my mind, all of which ended with Edward lying on the floor dead. I ran faster.

When I got to the area where he was supposed to be I was met with utter destruction. Broken glass was strewn among the damage, painting an ugly picture of the fight that took place there.

I looked to make sure that Edward wasn't lying unconscious under one of the tables and was both relieved and more anxious when I didn't find him.

I continued to search until noise drew me to the lobby on the ground floor.

It wasn't packed but there were enough people present that I wasn't noticed when I slipped out of the stairwell.

The relief that coursed through me when I saw him was staggering. I was caught up in all of the feelings that I had been suppressing for months.

I realized then that I should be happy and filled with a sense that something that has been missing was finally there. I got what I wanted, Aro would be removed from his position and thrown in jail and would never be able to hurt anyone anymore. I should be ecstatic and overjoyed.

I realized that I should feel all of these things, yet I didn't.

I looked at Edward at the far end of the lobby as he was questioned by officers and Internal Affairs agents. Someone was using an emergency kit until paramedics arrived to bandage a cut on his hand, he also had a black eye and a split lip. By the way he sat I guessed that he had at least one cracked rib. He also got all those things trying to help me.

'_He doesn't deserve this. He nearly got killed because of me.'_ I thought as I saw him stretch his arm with a wince.

'_He thinks he loves me and look what good it does him.'_

I had never thought past the point of bringing Aro down. '_And now that's done…what am I supposed to do? There are more people out there who have scores to settle with me, I can't drag him into the middle of that.'_

'_This was always supposed to be temporary thing. What, did I think I could stay here with him? The plan was get in, get the job done, and get out. His job and life are here, mine aren't.'_

And then I asked myself the question I already knew the answer to, 'So _what good is there in staying?_'

'_There isn't any.' _My mind answered.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and blinked back the tears that had risen up as I realized what conclusion I had ultimately come to.

He must have sensed someone staring at him because he looked up and glanced around before his eyes settled on me.

He smiled until he saw something on my face that made it fade.

Even from where I was standing I could see his eyes searching my face, trying to figure out my thoughts with a worried expression.

I gave him a watery smile and mouthed one word: 'goodbye'.

Even from the faraway distance I saw him blanch and shake his head, he tried to stand up but the crowd around him quickly forced him back down before he could injure himself more.

I met his eyes one last time before my smile faded and I slipped away.

* * *

**EPOV**

It was days before I was able to get away from the bureau and look for her.

I had been questioned relentlessly asked the same questions over and over again. In the end it wasn't as bad as I originally thought. I was on leave while internal affairs went through everything and decided what they wanted to do with me after they got through with Aro and Jacob.

I took it as a good sign that I wasn't fired on the spot and carted off to jail once they figured out that I had been helping Scarlet. I assumed the bureau was just trying to sweep the whole mess under the rug as best they could.

The paramedics confirmed what I had suspected to be two cracked ribs and had treated the cut on my hand. They had told me to take it easy with the ribs and not do anything that could slow down the healing process.

I didn't care about any of it at the moment though. I needed to find Scarlet.

The first place I went to as soon as the bureau released me was the apartment the FBI gave her while she worked with me.

There was no one there.

I spent hours going to different places we had been to together, hoping that someone had at least seen her but they all came to the same conclusion, no one could remember her being there.

The FBI was already trying to find her; they couldn't just let criminals run away. But they were running into problems as well, without her real name there was no real way to effectively track her down.

It was late afternoon when I drove through the neighborhood where her house was. I finally spotted it and threw the car into park, running up to the front door I pounded on it. "Scarlet!" I yelled, praying that she would open the door.

No answer.

Stepping off the porch I looked through the front window and blanched, there was nothing there.

All of the furniture, decorations, everything. It was all gone.

I hunted around for the rock that she had hid the key under and lifted it. There was no key.

I ran a hand through my hair as the realization hit me: she was gone.

I sank onto the front steps with my head in my hands. _'Why would she just leave?'_

I don't know how long I sat there wallowing but it must have been a long time because when I looked up quickly at the sound of footsteps the sun was much lower in the sky.

My heart sank when it wasn't her but her friend Alice.

She was stopped a few feet in front of me, a set of keys in one hand and an empty box under her arm.

She looked just as sad as I felt.

After a moment or two she shifted the box under her arm and walked up the steps past me to open the door. I stood up and followed her inside.

I let my eyes trail over the naked room, astounded at its size now that there was nothing inside of it to make it appear smaller.

"Why are you here Edward?" She asked, setting the box on the counter.

I cleared my throat, "I'm looking for her. I thought she might still be here."

She just shook her head.

"She had it cleared out over the last two days. I'm just here to pick up a couple of things that she left behind and didn't want." She said.

"So she left, just like that?" I said, not wanting to believe it.

She avoided my eyes and said, "Look, I'm just as upset about this as you are. I tried my best to convince her to stay."

"Why did she leave?" I asked, though I had some idea.

Alice had been packing some things into the box and sighed.

"She wouldn't tell me. But from what I gathered she doesn't think that she's doing you any good staying here and probably thinks everything would be better for everyone if she were to just disappear." She said, shoving something into the box with more force than was necessary.

"How could she think that! After everything we've done together!" I was pacing now.

Alice made a face at me, "I'm not happy that she's leaving either, but maybe she's right. She might be better off somewhere else. What does she have here that would make her stay?"

"Me." I said after a moment.

She stopped what she was doing and looked at me, searching my face for something.

There was silence for a few moments as we both sorted through our thoughts.

"Why would she just leave like that without saying something to me?" I asked quietly.

"Because she loves you and wants to pretend she doesn't." Alice said matter-of-factly.

I didn't know how to respond to that.

"She was trying to keep it off her face when I talked to her but she wasn't doing a very good job." She continued.

There was silence for a while as Alice returned to sorting her box and I tried to absorb what she told me.

Suddenly she stopped and turned around.

She seemed to fight with herself for a moment before letting out a huff, "Screw it, I thought I would be able to be okay with her leaving as long as she was better off that way but I don't think that's the case."

"What?" I asked, not understanding the message she was trying to convey.

"I'm sure that if you can't convince her to stay than no one can." She said.

I finally caught on and my eyes widened, I stepped forward and gripped Alice's shoulders, "She hasn't left yet?"

She shook her head.

"Alice, where is she?" I asked urgently, shaking her a little.

"Her flight leaves tonight from a private airport north of the city. If you hurry you might be able to catch her."

I was already running out the door.

* * *

I saw her walking towards the plane, bag slung over her shoulder, a determined stride.

My jog had slowed when I spotted her but now I was sprinting after her.

When I was no more than fifteen feet away I called out to her, watching as she froze mid-step at hearing my voice.

My breathing was slightly labored as I slowed to a walk and shortened the distance between us. Stopping a few feet away I waited for her to turn around.

When she finally did, it was slowly and laced with reluctance.

We stood and stared at each other, moments passing by with nothing said.

I glanced at the bag she clutched in her hand and then at the private plane behind her.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

She bit her lip and looked away; the wind blew her hair lightly.

"So you were just going to leave without saying anything?" I asked, trying to keep the hurt out of my voice the best I could, but I could tell she caught it anyways by the small cringe she showed.

After a few moments of silence she said, "I thought it would be easier that way."

The wind whistled in my ears for a moment as I thought about what she said. "Easier for who?"

"I got what I came here for, now it's time for me to clear out and move on. You can't convince me to stay, so don't try." She said with a determined tone, hoisting her bag over her shoulder once more and turning away.

She had gotten about five steps away when I called after her, "See, I think that's the reason you left without saying anything. You knew that I was the only person that could convince you to stay."

She stopped again and turned around, "Don't do this, Edward." She said, slightly exasperated. "Don't make this harder than it already is."

When she saw my determined look a crease formed between her eyes, "In a few minutes that plane is taking off and I'm going to be on it." She pointed at the plane behind her. "It's going to take me far away from here and you're going to let me go."

I was shaking my head and opened my mouth to protest but she held up a hand to stop me, "No Edward let me finish because this is how it's going to go. You're going to forget you saw me get on that plane, you'll go on with your life here doing what you did before you met me, and over time you will realize that what you felt wasn't love and be able to go on with your life and I will be able to go on with mine."

I was staring at her intently, trying to read what was going on behind her eyes. "Do you really believe that? That we'll just forget everything that's happened, just like that?"

She looked away, giving me my answer.

Moments passed in which I stared at her and she refused to look at me.

"You could stay, you know." I said quietly, watching as she finally looked at me.

"And do what? There's nothing here for me anymore." She said, gesturing to our surroundings.

"I'm here." I stated, watched her eyes dart away as if that was the very thing she hadn't wanted me to say.

We both heard the plane's engines start behind her and she glanced over her shoulder.

"Goodbye, Edward." She said, giving me one last look before turning around and heading to the plane's stairs.

I was at a loss, running out of options.

"You can't just leave." I yelled after her, panic in my voice.

"Give me a reason to stay." She called loudly over the roar of the plane's engine as she walked backwards towards it, shrugging her shoulders.

When I didn't say anything, she turned and kept walking to the stairs.

"Because you love me." I yelled over the noise.

She froze with her hand on the railing and I waited a moment before following after her and stood as close as I dared.

I could see her release the breath she had been holding as she turned and looked at me. The combination of the look on her face and fact that she hadn't refuted it told me that it was true.

"I'm not leaving you, Scarlet. So either we're both getting on that plane and flying to Monaco, Paraguay or wherever the hell it's going. Or you stay here…with me." I said softly.

I was watching the battle in her eyes as she sorted through what I said and tried to decide whether I was serious. She seemed at a loss, she looked between me and the plane, I could see the thoughts racing in her mind, she seemed torn.

I don't know how long we stood there, but the sun was just starting to dip below the horizon when something shifted in her eyes and a smile slowly graced her lips.

I reciprocated it and watched as she looked at the bag in her hand and dropped it to the ground beside her.

That was all the confirmation I needed as I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her to me, attempting to convey my feelings through actions as I captured her lips in a searing kiss.

She had a soft smile on her face when I pulled away and rested my forehead against hers, her eyes closed as she absorbed the moment.

"I guess I must love you." She said with a small chuckle, opening her eyes.

I brushed my lips against her's lightly, never tiring of the sensation. I wrapped my arms around her and held on tightly, never wanting to let go.

"I love you too, Scarlet." I said as I held her to me.

I laced my fingers through her's and bent down to pick up her bag as turned to lead her away from the plane in case she changed her mind.

"Bella."

Confused, I turned to look at her; she had a nervous look on her face.

"What?" I asked, seeing her bite her lip.

She cleared her throat and tucked loose hairs behind her ear, "My name-my real name. It's…Bella."

She nervously watched as I rolled the name around in my head.

"Bella?" I asked, tasting the way it felt on my tongue.

She nodded, her eyes searching mine for a response.

I smiled, "I like it."

The smile I received was brilliant and I pulled her to me so that I could wrap my arm around her shoulder as we walked.

"Fits perfectly." I told her, talking both about the name and the way she was pressed into my side.

It was like we had been walking that way for our entire lives, and I was going to make sure to keep it that way.

THE END

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**A/N: We have reached the end of another story. But I do have some good news, I will be posting an epilogue fairly soon. I found this last chapter difficult to write even though I've had the main idea planned out since the beginning and that is why it took so long to post. I hope you will let me know what you thought of it and will stick around for the epilogue.**

**:) or :( or :P or ;D or :{D**


	28. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT **

Epilogue-Eight years later

**BPOV**

My body dove, weaved, spun, bent, and twisted out of arms reach, a smile stretching across my lips as the feeling that I was untouchable consumed me and powered each step as I stretched my legs down the hallway.

Two more were at the end of the hall and I increased my sprint as I headed for them. No less than five feet away I leaned back and slid, taking the feet out from one of them and causing him to reach for his partner and bring him down as well.

Popping up with a laugh I pushed off the wall and slung the container across my back so that my hands were free, adding momentum to my stride as I continued to trek down the bright lit hallway like it was a running track.

I laughed as I glanced once behind me to see a few of them trying to catch up and just increased my pace.

My leg muscles protested sweetly and my heart rate pumped adrenaline through every inch of my being at an increased pace. I was untouchable.

A door swung open in the hallway, I spun and missed it by centimeters, outstretched arms ghosting across me, not even getting a chance to get a grip before I was gone, long gone down the hall, my feet pounding to the sound of my heart.

I was free. My element was here, embracing me and welcoming me back with each breath of air that filled my lungs to the brim.

As I rounded yet another corner, darkness descended upon the building, covering every inch of it.

I smiled in challenge, _'I see we're trying something new here. They assume I can't navigate in the dark and it will be easier for them to catch me.'_

I slowed my pace enough to prevent running into walls unnecessarily. Now was the time to be fast but silent.

I altered the way my feet hit the floor, using primarily the sides to soften my footsteps as I ran toward the lightly illuminated sign that glowed 'Stairs' in light green.

I smiled a bit more when I heard stumbling coming from behind me a ways back from where I had just run from. The others were having a hard time adapting to the darkness.

I reached the door and eased it open before slipping inside and shutting it.

I burst through the final door onto the roof, the fresh air coming to meet me along with the brightly illuminated skyscrapers that were casting an ambient light upon the city.

Adjusting the container slung across my back I jogged across the roof and began hooking myself up to the carabineers with practiced fingers.

With the last hook set I was done.

Until I felt the container grabbed from my back.

I spun with a curse.

"Edward."

"You are so predictable." He said with a chuckle, shaking the container for emphasis towards the roof.

I scoffed, "Hardly. Last time I used the fire escape. And I could have just as easily gone from the ground floor this time."

"Well, it doesn't matter. I won." He smirked with that damn smile.

I narrowed my eyes.

He laughed, "It was a good try though. I don't think they were expecting that move on the eighth floor, they'll definitely have to do something about that."

"They should have listened when you told them to put in the retinal scanner. But that's what they get for being stingy with security." I said, taking a step closer.

There were a few moments of silence between us as we both absorbed the moment separately.

I took another step towards him, "So, how did you know I'd come up here instead of some other way?"

He smiled.

"Because I know you." He said, taking the final step until he was inches away, looking down at me.

His green eyes were staring into me as he leaned forward and captured me in a deep kiss, obliterating all previous or current thoughts.

When he pulled away he smoothed a strand of hair behind my ear with the same soft smile I'd come to see often on his face.

However, I wasn't so distracted that I didn't notice his watch and what time was on it.

I grabbed his wrist and pulled it in front of my eyes, "Oh my god, is it that late already. Crap, I've got to go pick up Erin from his friend's house."

I placed a hand on my forehead, sorting out the route I would need to take and the lights I would need to run.

Edward laughed at me furrowed expression, "I'm sure it'll be fine if you're a few minutes late."

I shook my head as I laughed, "It's times like this that I wish I had a normal job."

Edward laughed, "I can't see you working in a cubicle from nine to five every day."

"Good point." I said, hearing footsteps pounding on the opposite side of the door.

I gave him a chaste kiss, "I'll see you at home." I said.

I glanced once more towards the door, the sounds getting louder.

As soon as Edward followed my gaze I swiped the container from his hands and sprinted across the rooftop with a smirk.

I looked back a foot from the edge, "love you!" I yelled, as I leapt off the edge.

As I began to fall I saw the smile stretch on his face and the door open behind him.

**EPOV**

I shook my head in wonder as I continued to watch the spot that my wife had just disappeared from.

There was a commotion behind me and I turned to greet the men that had just joined me on the roof.

They were breathing heavily from their long sprint and bending over to catch their breath.

"So who can tell me what they learned this evening?" I started out.

I opened the front door and slipped inside, shaking the coat off my shoulders and throwing it over the back of the couch.

I could hear talking coming from the kitchen and smiled. Placing each step carefully I crept across the room and around the corner.

She had her back turned to me as she worked on chopping something and Erin was sitting on top of the counter facing me. I saw him eyeing the plate of cookies within his reach, but then his eyes would glance to his mother and I could see him weighing the risk.

His face lit up when he spotted me but I placed a finger over my lips and pointed to Bella. He smiled and giggled, happy to be in on my evil plan.

He watched me with big eyes as I continued to creep closer and closer.

I was sure that I had her this time.

That was a foolish assumption.

A foot away she turned and pointed the knife she was chopping with at my neck. I stopped, caught.

"Nice try." She said, shaking the knife a little.

I smiled, "What gave me away?"

She tilted her head toward the little boy beside her who was still giggling.

"Sorry dad." He said, his expression anything but.

Bella cleared her throat, "I believe that's twice today that I've won." She said before turning around to continue chopping.

"Twice? I believe you are mistaken my dear, if you recall earlier, I caught you on the roof." I said.

She turned back around while shaking the knife, "Oh no, you may have been up there at the time, but you did not catch me. My job is to prove that their security is not good enough by getting a previously designated object out of the building. If they catch me, they win. If I get out with the object, I win and the FBI gives them a stern talk. _You_ were not even supposed to be part of that exercise."

"I was supervising." I said, carefully extracting the knife from her hand and placing it on the counter behind her.

"But you were not supposed to get involved." She said poking my chest, the smile on her face giving away her good humor.

"Well, someone had to make sure that you didn't get away without some sort of obstacle that could possibly stop you. If I hadn't been so distracted by that kiss I would have succeeded." I said, wrapping my arms loosely around her.

"Oh, so you're saying that you're the only one that's good enough to stop me." She said.

"Yep." I replied pulling her close for a kiss.

When we separated there was more giggling coming from beside us as Erin watched us.

"What are you giggling about?" Bella said, pulling him over and placing a sloppy kiss on his cheek, causing him to laugh more.

He had my copper colored hair and green eyes, but every other part of the four year old was Bella through and through.

"How was school?" I asked him.

His eyes shifted as he shrugged, the laughter gone.

Bella and I shared a look. Our son had not yet gained the lying expertise that he was more than likely to pick up from her at some point in his life.

"What happened?" Bella asked, leaning against the countertop.

He mumbled something unintelligible as he stared at the floor far below him.

"You know I'm going to get it out of you sooner or later." Bella said.

He glanced up at her and must have made the correct assumption that she was serious and fully capable because he said, "I got in trouble."

"What for?" I asked, my mind spinning various scenarios.

"I took a toy from the top of the shelves when it wasn't playtime." The four year old admitted bashfully.

I was about to explain why he wasn't supposed to do that when Bella interrupted, "How high was the shelf?"

"Really tall" He said, stretching his arms upwards for a demonstration, "Taller than dad!"

"Erin, you can't-" I started, but was interrupted once again.

"Did you get it during class? While the teacher was teaching?" Bella asked, interested.

He nodded.

"Bella." I said, directing my attention to her.

"What? It's impressive." She said, shrugging before returning to her chopping and carrying something to the fridge.

I followed her.

"I swear, our son is going to follow right in your footsteps." I said, as I watched her dig inside for something.

"Well, if that's true then at least we know he won't be coming to us to borrow money in the future." She said without looking at me.

"Bella, I'm serious." I said, leaning against the door of the fridge.

She stopped rummaging around in the fridge for a second, I was about to ask her what was wrong when she said, "Erin, don't even think about it."

I turned my head to see my son holding one of the cookies an inch from his mouth, frozen in the act.

'_I still don't know how she does that…'_ I thought to myself, as I looked at Erin who seemed to be having the same thought as he placed the cookie back on the plate.

She sighed as she rose from the fridge, "Fine, I'll talk to him after dinner. But I think you're looking into this too much."

I closed the door of the fridge and followed her back to the counter.

She began adding the sauce to the pasta she was making; I reached in and stole a noodle quickly, avoiding her hand as she tried to swat me away.

"Hey!" Erin said, "Why does _he_ get to take food and I don't?"

Bella turned and gave me an _'I blame you'_ look before saying, "You know, I think you may also be partly responsible for what he does."

"Oh, before I forget. The bureau wanted me to let you know that they're going to need you to come down and run an exercise for the newest recruits. You're still the best they can find to do it." I said, trying to change the subject.

"Fine, but none of that damn head start stuff from last time. It's more realistic if we're even when we start." She said.

"Like they have a chance either way." I said, remembering the last time she did it. The newest recruits had looked at her small frame and expected an easy catch. They found that she proved to be quite the contrary and none of them managed to come close.

"Alright, time for dinner." She said, handing the bowl of food to me and helping Erin jump off the counter.

**BPOV**

It was later that night that I helped Erin into bed, watching as he situated himself under the covers, his small head poking out. I smoothed his hair, smiling at how much it was like his father's.

"We gotta talk about what happened today bud." I said.

He got a sad look on his face but nodded.

I sat down on the end of the bed and let out a sigh, thinking about the best way to go about it.

"You can't keep getting into trouble at school; you have to listen to your teachers."

"I know." He said quietly, "I'm sorry, please don't be mad." His expression was crestfallen and it nearly broke my heart.

I sighed again and sat down on the bed near his feet, "I'm not mad; I just worry about you when you get in trouble. Just promise me that you won't do it again and that you'll listen to your teacher."

He nodded and said, "Promise."

"Good." I said, glad that it was settled, I started to get up.

"Wait, can I have story?" He asked, looking up at me with wide, innocent eyes, "Pleeease."

I was defenseless against that look and he knew it. He really was just like his father in some ways.

"Alright, which one did you want to hear?" I asked, settling back on the bed.

"One with the thief!" He said, his excitement growing.

"Again? You don't want to hear a story about something else?"

He shook his head as he snuggled further under the covers. I briefly wondered if these stories could possibly be the source of his mischievousness, but cast that thought aside for later as I began the story.

"Once upon a time there was a thief…" I started

A while later I shut the door softly behind me and let out a sigh as I leaned against it.

"You really shouldn't eavesdrop." I said into the dark hallway.

"Sorry." Edward said, "Couldn't help myself."

I smiled and walked past him towards our bedroom, hearing him follow behind me.

"I sometimes wonder if he'll figure out that all of the stories you tell him are from real experiences." He said, closing the door to our bedroom behind him.

"He probably will when he's older. It will be impossible to hide the past from that kid; he's too smart for his own good." I said crawling beneath the covers with a yawn.

Edward turned off the light and crawled in beside me. He pulled me to him and wrapped an arm around my waist comfortably.

There were a few moments of quiet before he whispered, "Do you ever wonder how things would have turned out if you hadn't stayed, if you decided to keep running?"

I let out a yawn and said, "No."

"No? You've never thought about it, not once?" He said, shifting slightly to look at me, his expression one of disbelief.

I turned so I was face to face with him, "I don't need to think about it. I know how that story ends. And it's not good. I realized that I could never leave you."

"Your heart would break at the thought?" He said with a smile.

"Yes." I responded, true to the core as I stifled a yawn.

He kissed me lightly and I could feel him smile, "I love you." He said once he pulled away.

"I know." I yawned, turning so that he could wrap his arm around me once more, "I love you too." I mumbled before falling asleep.

I hadn't been dreaming for long before I felt someone poke me.

"Mom."

I grumbled something unintelligible.

"Mommy." He whispered again, another poke on my arm.

I cracked one eye open and saw Erin looking at me with big eyes.

Without another word I lifted the covers, a clear signal for him to crawl in. It took him a few tries, but he scrambled up and snuggled next to me. I wrapped my arm around him and pulled the covers over both of us.

Our movements must have woken Edward up because he said, "Goodnight Erin. Goodnight Bella." The last word was said with a kiss on the back my neck, making me smile.

I was somewhere between sleep and wakefulness when my thoughts drifted to the past.

After the evidence we had on him, Aro had been removed from his position and was prosecuted for his crimes. The fact that the bureau wanted to keep the whole situation quiet allowed Edward to keep his job and after a lot of persuading, allowed me to continue to work with him.

It had been eight years since I made the decision to stay. Five since I finished serving the time I owed for my crimes and was released from the tracking anklet. Priceless pieces of stolen art had seemed to miraculously show up at museums soon after.

Since that day with the plane, the thought of leaving Edward never crossed my mind again.

I was there to stay, and always would be.

**A/N: I want to thank all of my readers who have been reading and reviewing since this story started, it means a lot to me and I really appreciate it. I had a lot of fun writing Scarlet and I hope it lived up to all of your expectations. **


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